Formula 1

Hamilton’s attention to detail can lead Ferrari to glory - Vasseur

Vasseur reckons his new driver will have a substantial impact on the Scuderia

Ben Vinel

Edited: Dec 11, 2024, 5:03 PM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is expecting Lewis Hamilton to enhance the Scuderia’s mindset as it keeps working towards a first Formula 1 world title since 2008.

Ferrari fought for this year's constructors’ championship with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz until the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where its 21-point deficit on McLaren proved to be too large to overcome as it ended up 14 points away from the crown, vanquished by race winner Lando Norris’ impeccable drive.

This has nonetheless been, in terms of grand prix wins (five) and podium finishes (22), the team’s most successful season since Sebastian Vettel’s bid for the 2018 drivers’ title.

Ferrari has recovered under Vasseur’s leadership since he took over as team principal in January 2023, and the Frenchman is adamant that new hire Hamilton will make a difference when the seven-time world champion replaces Sainz alongside Leclerc next year.

Hamilton spent the last 18 seasons racing for McLaren and Mercedes with both squads of British tradition, and Vasseur believes this different culture will be enriching for the “isolated” Scuderia – normally featuring a large contingent of Italian engineers and mechanics as one of Formula 1’s three teams mostly based outside England.

Unconcerned by Hamilton’s recent lack of one-lap pace, Vasseur claims the Briton’s work ethic will make a difference when it comes to margins as fine as they were this season.

“I am convinced that Lewis will come with his own experience, with the background of 18 years in F1, with a couple of titles and so,” Vasseur said following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, “and it will be a real push to keep this mindset, to try to do a bit better everywhere.

“I perfectly remember with Lewis in 2005-06 that he was already like this, pushing on the small details,” he added, referring to his time leading the ASM/ART outfit in junior single-seaters. Racing for the French team, Hamilton dominated the 2005 F3 Euro Series and the 2006 GP2 Series – F2’s predecessor.

Lewis Hamilton, ART Grand Prix, celebrates pole position with Frederic Vasseur, ART Grand Prix

“At the end of the day, if you have a look, I think that on average the delta between McLaren and us in qualifying was a couple of hundredths, and we are really at this stage, also with Red Bull and Mercedes, that we are speaking about details.

“We really need to have this kind of mindset to chase the last one-thousandth in every single area and I think Lewis will be a good asset for this also.”

Hamilton, meanwhile, has made it clear that he does not underestimate the challenge he’s taking up at Maranello.

“Of course it really sparks motivation and it's a dream scenario for any driver to have an opportunity like this,” the future Ferrari driver said on Thursday at Yas Marina. “So, don't take that for granted.

“I realise it's a steep… You know, I remember when I joined Mercedes, and it's not an easy step to ever enter into a new team. And it takes time to build new relationships and learn the tools and everything. Coming into next year with that same focus, that same might that I had when I joined Mercedes and with ultimately that leap of faith, I think is exciting and exhilarating.”

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article The unspoken major factor behind McLaren’s 2024 F1 title win

Next article Ben Sulayem open to F1 permanent stewards – but asks who pays for them

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

How Istanbul is revamping its F1 circuit to clinch long-term future

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Turkish GP

1 h

How Istanbul is revamping its F1 circuit to clinch long-term future

The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup 17 h

The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season

‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1 18 h

‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes

BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC

WEC

WEC WEC

Monza

19 h

BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC

Feature

Discover prime content

How seizing every chance – and making it happen – keeps Pierre Gasly’s fire burning

Formula 1

By Jake Boxall-Legge

How seizing every chance – and making it happen – keeps Pierre Gasly’s fire burning

Tough love and F1 titles – A key life lesson behind Wolff's Mercedes success

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Ronald Vording

Tough love and F1 titles – A key life lesson behind Wolff's Mercedes success

How Brazil showcased everything that's good about F1 - plus some that isn't

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Filip Cleeren

How Brazil showcased everything that's good about F1 - plus some that isn't

Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s

Formula 1

By Kevin Turner

Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts