It is probably less than a month before Lewis Hamilton’s debut in a Ferrari F1 (which should take place behind the wheel of a 2022 F1-75), but his presence is already the main topic. During this week’s media meeting at Maranello, the topic of ‘Lewis’ was widely discussed, emerging in many of the points touched upon.
It could hardly be otherwise; the debut of the most successful driver in Formula 1 history behind the wheel of a Ferrari is destined to stay in the spotlight for a long time. After the 2024 season, Frederic Vasseur also broke the embargo on the Lewis Hamilton topic, which had been in place since February 1, the day his signing was announced.
“It wasn’t difficult to convince Lewis about the validity of the Ferrari option for his future,” explained Frederic Vasseur, as reported by the BBC. “In 2023 we won more races than Mercedes, so it wasn’t complicated to convince him that he would find a good project at Ferrari. I believe he had in mind to drive for Ferrari for at least 20 years. I remember we were already talking about it in 2004 (when Hamilton was approached by Frederic Vasseur to join his F3 team), but sometimes it’s also a matter of coincidences or aligning the planets. It just so happened that he was on the market and Ferrari had a seat available to offer him. We started discussing it a year ago, and it wasn’t hard to convince him.” – the French manager pointed out.
At Ferrari, there are no doubts about Hamilton’s form, and the final balance of the 2024 season (in which he finished the championship behind teammate George Russell) does not raise concerns.
“I don’t want to point fingers at Lewis or Mercedes,” explained Frederic Vasseur. “But I am convinced that the situation they found themselves in wasn’t easy to manage. I believe (Lewis) wasn’t in perfect mental shape, it was quite evident in Brazil, but in the last two races, he performed very well, and I am not at all worried about it.”
There is no sign of concern regarding the relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc either. “They have a huge mutual respect,” confirmed Frederic Vasseur. “They know each other well and have been talking for months. Also, I add, it’s much better to fight for first and second place than for 19th and 20th. What I mean is that it’s a good sign for a team to have these kinds of discussions.”
Starting in early January, Lewis Hamilton will face a rigorous schedule to settle in ahead of the first official tests in Bahrain. The tests with the 2022 car (not yet officially confirmed by Ferrari) will serve to familiarize him with the team and working procedures.
“It won’t be easy,” concluded Fred Vasseur. “But Lewis is certainly not a beginner; he comes with a wealth of experience, and I am not at all worried about that. In the Bahrain tests, he will have to absorb many things, but we have the advantage of being able to work on the simulator, where he can try both race simulations and qualifying simulations and be well-prepared for managing the controls on the steering wheel. I don’t think this will be the biggest challenge we face.”
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