Both Lewis Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc have voiced their support for team principal Fred Vasseur as speculation swirls about his future with Ferrari ahead of the F1 Canadian GP.
Several Italian publications have recently raised questions about Vasseur’s leadership, hinting at internal tensions and feelings of disillusionment within the team.
Vasseur took over after Mattia Binotto exited the team at the end of the 2022 season following a failed championship bid. Though not always consistent, Ferrari finished as runner-up to championship winners McLaren under Vasseur in 2024, with the squad securing two particularly meaningful victories—Monaco and Monza—with Leclerc, in addition to three other wins across the season.
Italian press intensifies scrutiny ahead of Montreal
Speaking at Thursday’s press conference ahead of the F1 Canadian GP, Hamilton addressed the rumours and reiterated his confidence in the team boss.
Vasseur played a crucial role in Hamilton’s dramatic move to Ferrari, announced in early 2024. The pair had previously worked together at ART Grand Prix, a connection that proved instrumental in Hamilton’s decision to switch teams after over a decade with Mercedes.
“I was just made aware of it before I got here, so I’ve not read the stories,” Hamilton said. “It’s definitely not nice to hear that there are stories that are like that out there.
“Firstly, I love working with Fred. Fred’s the main reason I’m in this team and I got the opportunity to be here—for which I’m forever grateful. We’re in this together. We’re working hard in the background.”
Ferrari has had a rocky start to the season, but Hamilton believes the team is on the right path under Vasseur’s leadership.
“Things aren’t perfect,” he continued. “But as I said, I’m here to work with the team and with Fred. I want Fred here. I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top, and so that’s that. To me, it’s all nonsense what people have written. Most people don’t know what’s going on in the background.
“It isn’t all easy, like, it’s not the smoothest sailing. We are having to make changes and there’s a lot of work to do. Naturally there’s a lot of pressure because we want to win, but that’s not any part of the discussion at the moment.”
Hamilton backs Vasseur: “He has my full support”
Although Ferrari has jumped to P2 in the Constructors’ standings—capitalising on Mercedes’s recent woes—the overall picture remains underwhelming. Hamilton and Leclerc sit fifth and sixth in the Drivers’ standings, far behind the dominant McLaren pair.
Asked how ill-advised it would be to make a leadership change at such a crucial time, with the 2026 regulations looming, Hamilton replied: “I don’t think that’s on the cards” and added that it’s “certainly not something that I’d be supportive of.”
He added: “Embedding new people, new personnel, whether it’s a driver or engineers or the people who run an organisation...It takes time to adjust, and the impact that has is significant.
“So that’s not part of the discussion. I’m here to win with Fred. And he has my full support.
“And also, to everyone writing stories of me considering not racing—I literally only just started here with Ferrari.
“I’m here for several years, and I’m here for the long haul. There’s no question where my head’s at and what I’m working towards achieving with this team. So, there’s zero doubts. Please stop making stuff up.”
Leclerc dismisses speculation
The Monégasque was also asked to share his thoughts on the recent articles regarding the Ferrari team boss. Vasseur is the second team principal Leclerc has worked with in his six years with the team. He previously headed up the Sauber team during Leclerc’s rookie season in 2018.
“We have a vision that we share, the three of us, Fred, Lewis, and I, to try to win again,” Leclerc said. “We’ve been working to put that all together. And so, yeah, this is for sure our plan. And I think we should stick to it.”
