Fred Vasseur has spoken about the arrival of Cédric Michel-Grosjean at Ferrari and clarified when he could eventually become the new race engineer for Lewis Hamilton.
The arrival of Cédric Michel-Grosjean at Ferrari immediately sparked speculation that he would soon take over the role of Lewis Hamilton’s new race engineer. However, at least during this first phase of the season, the right-hand man of the seven-time world champion will continue to be Carlo Santi.
The Italian engineer, who was initially considered a temporary solution for the Barcelona and Bahrain tests, has positively surprised many observers with the way he managed car number 44 during the Australian Grand Prix weekend. His work was highlighted by Lewis Hamilton himself in the team radio message at the end of the race, when the British driver thanked the team and Santi for the job they had done together.
Vasseur clarifies the situation regarding Hamilton’s race engineer
Fred Vasseur also returned to the subject and offered further clarification. In particular, the Ferrari Team Principal discussed the arrival of Cédric Michel-Grosjean and the possibility that he could eventually become Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer. “It won’t happen for the moment. I’m not saying it will never happen, because I think he’s a good signing and he could get along well with Lewis, so he could fill that role. But right now Carlo Santi is working very closely with Lewis and things are going very well. We will make the decision together, but there is no urgency,” explained Fred Vasseur.
The former Alfa Romeo team boss also wanted to calm some of the early enthusiasm surrounding the British driver’s performances. “You have to judge things over the long term. Last year, after China, everyone was convinced it would be the season of his life. But I have the impression that now he is more in tune with the car, with the overall balance, with everything. So it’s better to start from these foundations, score points with both cars and have a healthy rivalry between them, so they can push each other forward,” added the Ferrari Team Principal.
This strategic approach by Fred Vasseur demonstrates Ferrari’s commitment to creating a stable environment for Lewis Hamilton as he adapts to his new life in red. By prioritizing the proven chemistry with Carlo Santi while integrating new talent like Cédric Michel-Grosjean in the background, the Scuderia aims to provide the best possible support for the Briton in his fight against rivals at the front of the grid. The upcoming races will be a true test of whether this engineering partnership can consistently extract the maximum potential from the car while maintaining the healthy internal competition with Charles Leclerc.
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