Lewis Hamilton has clarified that in the documents he prepared before the Spa-Francorchamps race weekend, there was no intention to interfere with other people’s responsibilities or to step into roles outside his own.
Lewis Hamilton’s dossiers
In recent months, Lewis Hamilton revealed that he had personally drafted three separate dossiers containing his thoughts on everything he believed could be improved within the Ferrari organisation. Since that admission, the British driver has found himself making headlines more for matters off the track than for his performance on it.
Between the races in Belgium and Hungary, his on-track results were deeply disappointing: three early eliminations in qualifying sessions and only six points collected in total. During the same period, his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc amassed 32 points, as well as an unexpected pole position at the Hungaroring.
Looking back, it might have been more effective for Lewis Hamilton to focus entirely on the race weekends themselves, as the “dossier” story ended up backfiring in the absence of strong on-track performances. Nevertheless, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion wanted to send a strong message with an eye towards the team’s future, especially with the 2026 season in mind.
Some critics accused him of behaving as if he were the team principal rather than a driver, but Lewis Hamilton responded directly to such comments.
Lewis Hamilton’s words
“There were no orders in those documents,” Lewis Hamilton said. “There were only ideas, things like: ‘What if we tried this?’, ‘Have we tested this before?’, ‘By doing this we might be able to make some areas lighter, or perhaps we could improve them’. It’s simply about having a dialogue, and Fred has been very responsive.”
The reference to “Fred” was aimed at Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur, with whom Hamilton has established a strong working relationship since joining the Maranello squad.
Arriving at Spa off the back of two consecutive fourth-place finishes, Lewis Hamilton explained that the three reports were detailed breakdowns focusing on technical and procedural areas where he believed the team could raise its game. The first dossier was prepared after the opening rounds of the season, while the other two were put together during the summer break.
In each of them, Lewis Hamilton expressed frustration over the late introduction of car updates and highlighted his view that the team was not operating at its maximum potential. According to the British driver, this situation had reached a point where he felt compelled to challenge the entire organisation, “especially those who make the decisions.”
Through these dossiers, Lewis Hamilton aimed to encourage faster reactions, more efficient development timelines, and a culture where innovation and improvement are prioritised. For him, the goal was not to dictate actions but to contribute constructively to Ferrari’s progress, ensuring that the team is in the strongest possible position ahead of the major regulatory changes coming in 2026.
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