Lewis Hamilton backs Fred Vasseur while questioning Ferrari’s structure

In 2026, Lewis Hamilton spoke about Fred Vasseur at Ferrari, defending the team principal while raising the issue of the organisation around him.

At the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Maria Conti said Ferrari retained “full confidence” in Fred Vasseur and his team. Hamilton then said structure, stability and having everyone pulling in the same direction were essential.

He said Fred Vasseur had full backing. While describing Vasseur as an outstanding leader capable of taking the team in the right direction, Hamilton nevertheless said the structure that has been in place for some time might need to be reviewed, noting that there are people above Vasseur.

Hamilton stressed that the operation was not about one person. He credited Vasseur with changes made over the past year and with helping the team reach second place in the constructors’ championship, which he described as a major step from last season.

He also attributed the deficit to the power unit, referring to a gap of one tenth every weekend, and at times six tenths in straight-line speed. According to Hamilton, the team is aware of it and may be working extremely hard to address it for next year.

Hamilton said he was frustrated by the negativity around Ferrari, which he believes is stronger than for other teams when an error occurs. He said he does not read the sites involved, while acknowledging that this climate can affect team members, including when their families pass on the negative messages they read.

According to Hamilton, those writing such criticism do not know what happens internally or how much work is being done. He said the group would continue to focus on its work regardless of what is written, and said he hoped everyone’s efforts might allow it to reach its target next year.

He did not detail the changes he would make to Ferrari’s management, while confirming that there were changes he would make. Fans are also part of the context surrounding Vasseur.

Mercedes has 160 points, while Hamilton is second in the standings. According to reported information, Ferrari’s ADUO mentions Azerbaijan and the number 2.