Lewis Hamilton praises Frederic Vasseur’s contract renewal and aims to continue development of Ferrari SF-25
Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton arrived in Budapest in high spirits, clearly more upbeat than he appeared just a few days earlier during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps. His enthusiasm may be fueled by his impressive comeback drive in Belgium, or perhaps by the fresh confirmation that Frederic Vasseur will remain as Team Principal at Scuderia Ferrari. Either way, the atmosphere around the British driver is more positive.
Hamilton began by addressing the biggest news of the day: the renewal of Frederic Vasseur’s contract with Ferrari. “I only heard about it yesterday,” said Lewis Hamilton, “but I’ve already shared my thoughts on Fred Vasseur in the past—there’s really nothing more to add. It was absolutely the right decision. I’ll just add that he’s the one who brought me into Ferrari, and I can see that everyone in the team is genuinely happy about this.”
Hamilton believes Ferrari can extract more from the SF-25 despite McLaren’s advantage
The British driver remains optimistic about the development path of the Ferrari SF-25. One area that continues to demand attention is the optimization of the rear suspension, which remains a work in progress. However, Lewis Hamilton has already felt a tangible improvement in the car’s handling—a change he sees as essential for competing at the top level.
“This is definitely a positive development, and we’re still working on maximizing it,” he explained. “I believe there will be opportunities for us to get more out of the package. We’re still refining the car’s performance step by step, but Charles Leclerc did a great job last weekend, managing to secure a podium finish. We also know that, at this moment, we are not on the same performance level as McLaren. I honestly have no idea whether we’ll be able to close the gap, but we’re doing everything we can.”
A special weekend at the Hungaroring, a circuit of success for Lewis Hamilton
The Hungarian Grand Prix is a particularly meaningful event in the Formula 1 calendar. This year, the Hungaroring celebrates its 40th edition of the race, along with a newly built paddock and garage complex. Lewis Hamilton has an exceptional record at this historic track: eight victories, nine pole positions, and twelve podium finishes—more than any other driver in Formula 1 history.
“This is truly one of those iconic circuits that should remain on the calendar for many more years,” Hamilton said. “As for this season, well, on most tracks we’ve been far off from fighting for pole position. I have to take things one step at a time, always aiming to finish as high as possible, but honestly, I have no idea what we’ll be able to achieve this weekend.”
Lewis Hamilton elaborates on his technical contributions, dubbed the “Hamilton papers”
During Thursday’s media sessions at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton’s comments regarding his involvement in technical feedback to the team generated significant interest. Some in the paddock jokingly referred to the files and suggestions submitted by the British driver as the “Hamilton papers.” Now, one week later, Hamilton provided further insight into this collaborative process.
“There are certainly no orders,” Hamilton said with a smile. “They’re just ideas—more like, hey, what if we tried this? Or, we’ve experimented with that—could we maybe take another approach? Could we lighten certain areas? Is there something we can improve? These are just conversations—suggestions aimed at making things better.”
Lewis Hamilton discusses integration with Ferrari and compares Vasseur to Toto Wolff
Lewis Hamilton also opened up about his integration into the Ferrari team and reflected on the working environment he has found in Maranello.
“In my position, the first step is to understand the environment you’re in. You have to adapt, but at the same time, the people working with you also try to meet your needs. I think this year we’ve seen a lot of positive developments and progress across every department. But the most impressive thing, in my view, is the passion and the desire to keep improving that exists throughout the entire team. Everyone wants to find ways to grow and get better. That’s why I truly believe this team has all the ingredients required to achieve the success it deserves—and I believe in that 100%.”
Hamilton then drew a comparison with his past working relationship with Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, under whom he won multiple titles.
“Looking back at my experience with Toto, one of the most valuable aspects was his ability to empower people and bring out the best in everyone,” said Hamilton. “In my case, for example, he gave me the freedom to express myself however I wanted, and that allowed me to be the best version of myself. I believe Frederic Vasseur is very similar in that regard. I’m still learning how Fred likes to work, but I have full confidence in him—just as I’ve always said.”
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