Ferrari’s boss Fred Vasseur believes Lewis Hamilton will come back strong at Monza after his disappointing crash at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Hamilton had a weekend to forget at Zandvoort, hitting the barriers at turn three while teammate Charles Leclerc was also knocked out of the race after colliding with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. A double DNF was the last thing Ferrari needed.
But Vasseur remains upbeat as the team heads to their home race at the Italian Grand Prix. He thinks Hamilton will be fired up to bounce back from his Dutch disaster.
Despite the crash, Vasseur sees progress in Hamilton’s performance compared to his disappointing 12th place finish in Hungary.
“Overall, yes,” Vasseur said when asked if Hamilton would have extra confidence heading into his first Italian GP in Ferrari red. “The first reaction after the race was more positive on the weekend, on the fact that he was fighting for P5 or P4 in the race.”
That’s a big improvement from Budapest.
“It means that I think the confidence is back and I think it’s good preparation for Monza,” Vasseur added.
The Ferrari boss expects Hamilton to have a stronger second half of the season as he continues to settle in with his new team.
“To enjoy it? It’s largely a matter of results and confidence and pace and the fact that you are in the game,” he explained.
Vasseur believes Hamilton’s mindset is improving despite the crash result.
“I think, honestly, Lewis had the perception that [the Dutch GP] was much better, even if the outcome is not. But at the end of the day, he was able to fight, able to raise his soul. It means that for himself, is good and if it like this that, you will enjoy it.”
The Italian Grand Prix gives Hamilton his first chance to race for Ferrari at the team’s most passionate venue – the perfect opportunity to turn things around.
