Vasseur has been facing intense media pressure regarding the impending replacement of Sainz by the seven-time world champion, Hamilton. However, he has largely kept his thoughts to himself until a recent interview with Radio France.
Frederic Vasseur, the team principal of Ferrari, recently admitted to putting Carlos Sainz in a difficult position this season. This admission comes in light of the team’s decision to bring Lewis Hamilton on board from 2025.
Vasseur has been under media pressure regarding the imminent replacement of Sainz by the seven-time world champion, Hamilton. However, he has remained reserved until his recent interview with Radio France.
During the interview, Vasseur expressed the strategic importance of Hamilton’s future role at Ferrari. He stated: “Hamilton’s arrival is of great importance to the team.” He further explained that Hamilton’s inclusion would not only provide stability and a wealth of experience, but also enhance the team’s performance and its aspirations for success.
“In addition to his speed, he will bring a sense of calm to the team, along with the experience of someone who has achieved a lot and has an impressive track record. We need that at Ferrari to move forward and achieve better results,” he elaborated.
Vasseur also expressed optimism about the potential collaboration between Charles Leclerc and Hamilton, stating: “I am also extremely happy because I firmly believe that Charles and Lewis will get along.” This dynamic is particularly notable as Sainz has shown strong performances, sometimes even outperforming Leclerc, adding complexity to the transition.
Vasseur discussed Hamilton’s broader impact on the team, emphasizing that his influence goes beyond races or qualifying sessions. “It’s not just about performance in the car during qualifying or the race, but also about the overall image – all 365 days of the year. And I believe Lewis is an absolute expert at that,” he stated.
Amidst these changes, Vasseur praised Sainz for his professionalism and team spirit during what has undoubtedly been a challenging period. He acknowledged: “Since the beginning of this year, they have shown their ability to play as a team,” praising the perfect execution of team orders that did not require additional discussions and contributed to team harmony. “They handled it very well in Australia. And in Japan, we also asked them to switch positions because they were on different strategies,” he added.
Vasseur concluded by emphasizing the importance of peace within the team and highlighting how the team has effectively managed internal communications to maintain tranquility. “That radio message lasted only a fraction of a second and did not lead to any discussion. We need that peace,” he observed, underscoring the importance of cohesion as Ferrari prepares for a significant evolution in its lineup.
