Lewis Hamilton’s latest statement on Fred Vasseur is ‘reminiscent’ of what Michael Schumacher o… read more
Lewis Hamilton has once again expressed unwavering support for Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur amid increasing scrutiny and speculation over the Frenchman’s future at the iconic team. The seven-time World Champion, who joined Ferrari at the start of the 2025 season, is yet to enjoy a smooth campaign with the Scuderia, but his words have drawn a poignant comparison to the kind of backing Michael Schumacher gave then-team boss Jean Todt during Ferrari’s early struggles in the late 1990s.
Hamilton, speaking after another tough race weekend that saw Ferrari miss out on the podium again, was asked whether he believed Vasseur was the right man to lead Ferrari back to championship contention. Without hesitation, the British driver praised Vasseur’s leadership style, calm demeanor, and strategic vision for the team’s long-term project. Hamilton insisted that the kind of progress Ferrari is targeting cannot happen overnight and warned against knee-jerk decisions that could destabilize the growing structure Vasseur is putting in place.
His remarks echoed the same kind of loyalty Schumacher showed Todt when the Frenchman came under pressure early in his Ferrari tenure. At the time, Ferrari was still reeling from a championship drought, and many were skeptical about whether the team’s leadership structure could deliver. Schumacher’s confidence in Todt eventually proved decisive, with Ferrari going on to dominate the early 2000s. Hamilton appears to be drawing from that playbook, offering public and internal backing to Vasseur despite a challenging start.
The 2025 season has so far been Hamilton’s worst in terms of results, with no podium finishes in the opening 10 rounds. Ferrari’s upgrades have failed to deliver the performance gains they hoped for, and the car continues to trail Red Bull and McLaren in both qualifying and race pace. That lack of competitiveness has sparked a growing conversation around whether Vasseur is the right figure to guide the team through the new era of regulation changes coming in 2026. Yet, Hamilton has not joined that chorus.
Instead, he’s doubled down on his belief that Vasseur is building a strong foundation. He praised the atmosphere in the factory, the transparency in communication, and the trust Vasseur places in the drivers and engineering team. Hamilton stated that while results are the ultimate goal, culture and leadership matter just as much, especially at a team like Ferrari that often deals with intense media and fan scrutiny.
Charles Leclerc has also shown similar support, making it clear that Vasseur has full control of the team and that both drivers believe in his project. Leclerc, who worked under Vasseur at Sauber, has often credited the Frenchman’s leadership style for bringing a more relaxed yet focused energy to Ferrari — something that had arguably been missing in recent years under more authoritarian regimes.
Internally, Vasseur has reportedly implemented a number of changes to streamline Ferrari’s technical structure, including simplifying the decision-making chain and fostering more cross-department collaboration. Sources suggest the team is laying the groundwork for a major shift in philosophy ahead of the 2026 regulations, with Vasseur’s fingerprints all over it.
Hamilton’s alignment with Vasseur also reflects a growing sense of responsibility and ownership in his late-career chapter. Much like Schumacher, he’s not just at Ferrari to drive fast cars — he wants to be part of a legacy-defining transformation. And just like Schumacher’s words helped solidify Todt’s authority in the early days, Hamilton’s public praise for Vasseur may help shield the team boss from external pressure and allow him the time needed to deliver results.
Whether or not history repeats itself with a Schumacher-style revival remains to be seen, but Hamilton’s latest comments suggest that Ferrari is doubling down on unity — even in adversity.
