Hamilton Credits Vasseur for Potential Ferrari F1 Shift
Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, surprised the world by announcing his possible move from Mercedes to Ferrari. In this unexpected turn of events, Hamilton did not hesitate to credit Ferrari team leader Fred Vasseur as a key influence behind this surprising decision.
The news of Hamilton’s potential move to Scuderia Ferrari came as a surprise to everyone, especially considering the British driver’s long and successful partnership with Mercedes. However, the relationship between Hamilton and Vasseur, which dates back to the days of the GP2 series, appears to have played a key role in this surprising move.
The British driver made his foray into the GP2 series led by Fred Vasseur, while the Frenchman led the ART Grand Prix team. This early collaboration led to Hamilton winning the GP2 title in 2006, a feat that spurred his entry into Formula 1 with McLaren.
In a recent statement, Hamilton highlighted the importance of this early relationship: “I have a great relationship with Fred. Obviously, I raced for him at the ART Grand Prix in the GP2 series and we had incredible success in GP2. That’s really the foundation of our relationship.”
The connection between Hamilton and Vasseur was not limited to competition days in the youth division. Even after Hamilton’s transition to Formula 1, they maintained a close relationship. Hamilton shared: “We were always in touch. I thought he would be an amazing team boss at some point and progress to Formula 1, but at the time he wasn’t interested.”
Vasseur’s career in motorsport continued and in 2022, he took over the leadership of Scuderia Ferrari. The change appears to be a catalyst for a possible merger between Hamilton and the Italian team.
Hamilton acknowledged Vasseur’s role at Ferrari, saying: “It was really nice to see him join the Alfa [Saber] team. And then when he got the job at Ferrari, I was really happy for him. I think the stars aligned.”, and it really is. It wouldn’t have happened without him. I’m very grateful and excited for the work he’s doing there.”
Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes, with whom he won countless titles, is considered one of the toughest choices of his career. He highlighted the significance of the decision: “Obviously in the summer we signed, and at that time I saw my future with Mercedes. But in the new year an opportunity came, and I decided to take it.”
This potential move to Ferrari represents not only a team change for Hamilton, but also a change of dynamics in F1’s competitive landscape. A potential partnership between Hamilton and Ferrari’s young talent Charles Leclerc is eagerly awaited.
While we wait for these events to unfold, Formula 1 is shrouded in a mixture of speculation and anticipation. Should Hamilton switch to Ferrari, it would be a landmark chapter in his career and add an exciting element to the 2025 F1 season.
