The 2025 Formula One season is in full swing. A year that, starting with the Australian GP, has already delivered clear verdicts and quite a few surprises, both positive and negative. But beyond all the on-track topics, this championship seems destined to revolve around one key theme no matter what: Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari. The move of the century for the Circus, which, at the beginning of 2024, brought together the most successful driver and the most iconic team, fulfilling the dreams of millions of fans. And looking closely, it also fulfilled those of the British driver, who never hid his desire to wear red. A move whose significance he understood as soon as he landed in Italy.
The direction is clear
A move that came like a bolt from the blue, shocking the entire paddock and triggering a domino effect in the driver market. It has guaranteed Ferrari several benefits linked to the prestige and experience of the seven-time world champion—not only in terms of driving (despite the adaptation problems he is facing or the car’s lack of competitiveness), but also in terms of experience and working methods. Furthermore, with this move, the Scuderia sent a clear message to its rivals, showing its determination to return to winning ways after years of drought, through a plan launched months ago. The Hamilton deal marked the final step in a process that included the arrival of Loic Serra, the renewal of Charles Leclerc, and the recruitment of several engineers from rival teams. A series of moves initiated by team principal Frédéric Vasseur, who, from the moment he arrived in Maranello, set out to shape Ferrari in his own image to finally achieve the goal that many of his predecessors failed to reach.
The former Ferrari team member speaks out
Roberto Boccafogli, a former member of the Scuderia, discussed Fred Vasseur’s work in the Racing Department, as well as certain human aspects of the French team principal, in his book “Cuore Rosso”.
“His skills are undeniable: he is an experienced racing manager, with a feel for and a culture of track work […] a tireless worker. […] At times, his lack of empathy creates difficult relationships that would require dialogue, which he is not always willing to allow. He is confident in his ideas, particularly his human evaluations. His world is divided between reliable collaborators and unreliable ones: if you’re not reliable, there’s very little you can do to change that… […] He deserves credit for having established exceptional work at Ferrari: careful planning, clarity in not getting carried away when winning or discouraged when things go wrong. He is very strong in driver management. […] He was the one who made Lewis Hamilton’s deal happen. […] Enrico Cardile left Maranello because he wa motivated by a new challenge. But also because something broke between him and the team principal, who is steadily building the team he wants around himself—sometimes without even sharing decisions or reasoning with his closest reports, who are directly affected by these changes in structure and organization.” – Roberto Boccafogli wrote.
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