The relationship between Fred Vasseur and Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari appears to have changed significantly, but is that really the case? The Ferrari team principal’s unusually sharp tone towards the seven-time Formula 1 world champion after the Singapore Grand Prix has attracted attention, particularly following the tension that emerged after Monza.
Something may have shifted between Fred Vasseur and Lewis Hamilton after the Italian Grand Prix. Following the opening-lap incident with Charles Leclerc at Monza, Lewis Hamilton made some strong comments, calling — without being particularly subtle — for clear number-one status to fight for the Drivers’ Championship and placing responsibility on the Ferrari team principal for the absence of defined rules of engagement. The situation subsequently prompted Fred Vasseur to clarify Ferrari’s rules for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc after Monza. Has their relationship now changed?
Fred Vasseur’s tone towards Lewis Hamilton draws attention
In front of the microphones, Fred Vasseur has rarely openly admitted to a strategic or execution error by Ferrari. The French manager often appears with a smile on his face, an understandable approach designed to avoid placing the full weight of difficult decisions on individual members of the team and potentially fuelling further controversy around Ferrari.
After Singapore, however, Fred Vasseur was considerably tougher. Lewis Hamilton did not return to the pits despite Ferrari’s call, making the decision himself to stay out before later apologising after the gamble cost him a podium opportunity. The seven-time world champion subsequently accepted responsibility for the Singapore tyre gamble.
How should Fred Vasseur’s tougher approach be interpreted?
“I think most of the criticism is not really directed at what Fred said, because it was simply the truth, but at the tone he used. He seemed much more annoyed than usual. The inconsistency is in attacking the media one week earlier, accusing them of exaggerating everything or inventing stories, and then one week later helping to fuel the controversy by using this kind of tone.
“For those who say, ‘He behaved like that because, for once, the TEAM did not make the mistake, the driver did’, guys, the drivers are part of the team. So, just as he normally has never used an aggressive tone towards a specific member of the team, he should not do it towards another one, who in this case is the driver. Unless there was already some friction between the two, but only they know that for certain.”
That was the assessment offered by PierGiuseppe Donadoni during an AutoRacer.it live broadcast. In one sense, it is true that such intensity from Fred Vasseur has generally only been heard when criticism became personal and threatened confidence in his position as Ferrari team principal.
Hearing Fred Vasseur speak in such a manner about Sir Lewis Hamilton is particularly striking given that the pair have known each other for many years. It appears almost inevitable that Fred Vasseur did not appreciate the criticism that followed Monza, but communicating in this way risks adding fuel to the controversy rather than extinguishing it.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc remain on equal footing at Ferrari
Fred Vasseur is obviously not beyond criticism, but at present no major upheaval is expected at Ferrari. The wider issue is also tied to the competitive balance between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, with recent races showing relatively similar levels of performance between the two Ferrari drivers and Charles Leclerc proving faster on some weekends. Their evolving internal battle can also be followed through the Charles Leclerc vs Lewis Hamilton F1 head-to-head statistics.
“Lewis Hamilton’s only objective, with the bold decision not to stop in the pits, was to stay ahead of Charles Leclerc and finish the race in front of him, as has happened on other occasions. The latest races have shown, however, that the speed between the two is similar, with Charles Leclerc faster in some races. This once again highlights that Ferrari has two number-one drivers, something Lewis Hamilton will have to accept.”
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