Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has secured a contract renewal, and Lewis Hamilton couldn’t be happier about it. The seven-time world champion shared his thoughts during the Hungarian Grand Prix media day.
“I only heard yesterday about it,” Hamilton told reporters. “You’ve heard my positive comments about Fred. I told everyone.”
Hamilton has been consistently supportive of Vasseur’s leadership at Ferrari.
“There’s nothing else to add. I told you before that it was the right choice. Fred signed me here. I’ve been wanting to work with him.”
This vote of confidence comes after rumors started circulating during the Imola Grand Prix weekend that Ferrari was unhappy with Vasseur due to disappointing results. Both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc publicly backed their team boss during that difficult period.
When asked if Vasseur reminded him of his former Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, Hamilton laughed.
“No, completely different.”
He did note one significant similarity between the two leaders.
“But in terms of the race, the characters, they’re both massive racers, so that’s what they have in common.”
Reporters pressed Hamilton on whether Vasseur was taking the right approach to get the most from the Ferrari team.
“All I can say, just from my previous experience, I remember the real positive when I was working with Toto is just how he was able to utilise individuals, figure out how people work best, how to get the most out of someone.”
Hamilton pointed to his own experience with Wolff as an example.
“For example, with me, he created freedom for me to be able to express myself the way I wanted to and that enabled me to be the best version of myself. And that’s what he would do there.”
As for Vasseur’s management style, Hamilton sees promising similarities.
“Fred’s very similar in that respect. And so I’m still learning, trying to to learn the way that Fred likes to work. But I have absolute confidence in Fred, as I’ve always said.”
