Ferrari’s team boss Fred Vasseur has revealed that he remains close to Lewis Hamilton despite the seven-time world champion racing for rival team Mercedes.
Vasseur and Hamilton had previously worked together when the British driver won the Formula Three and GP2 championships with Vasseur’s ART team back in 2005 and 2006. Speaking to Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper, Vasseur said :
“I talk to him at every GP…Clearly, if they see us together in the paddock, there’s a lot of fuss, but the relationship has remained.”
Frédéric Vasseur
Ferrari’s underwhelming season has been the topic of discussion, and Vasseur believes that the team and drivers could perform better.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz could do better, and the team as a whole needs to improve. While Red Bull has won every race so far, Ferrari is fourth overall, with only three podium finishes.
“Carlos is very consistent, and for this, he is a good reference for us,” said Vasseur. He also described Leclerc as ‘impulsive,’ and therefore, it is best to calm down before speaking for his and the team’s sake.
Ferrari halted wind tunnel work on this year’s car at the end of July, but Vasseur stated that they would be adding upgrades until Qatar or Austin in October.
The team has also hired 25 new staff so far, including Mercedes performance director Loic Serra. However, none of them have yet started at Maranello.
⚠️ | Ferrari must be aggressive in 2024 development, says Fred Vasseur:
— GridRivals 🏁 (@GridRivals) August 21, 2023
🗣️ Fred continued to say: "We have to think differently, find margins so the drivers can push without always being at the limit."#F1 #Ferrari pic.twitter.com/ApHm4R9Ycy
Vasseur, his wife, and youngest child will move to Bologna after the August break, and the Frenchman said the situation at Ferrari was not at all what some had warned him to expect.
“If you have to make a decision, the process is very fast,” he said. “Here a problem I pose in the morning can be answered in the afternoon.”
In conclusion, Vasseur’s relationship with Hamilton has remained close over the years, despite the seven-time world champion racing for Mercedes.
The Ferrari team boss believes that the team and drivers can perform better, and it is evident that they have a lot of work to do to catch up with Red Bull.
However, Vasseur is confident that the team can improve, and he is happy with how the decision-making process at Ferrari works.
