Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur insists he is “not too worried” about Lewis Hamilton’s struggles so far this season – adding that analysis of the Scuderia’s form dipping “dramatically” is “f****** bull****”.
Hamilton, 40, has endured a difficult start to his £50m-a-year time at Ferrari, failing to finish higher than fifth in five races, though he did win the sprint race in China.
The seven-time F1 world champion has repeatedly voiced his frustrations at being unable to adapt to the SF-25 car, following 12 years with Mercedes. Yet having finished seventh in Saudi Arabia on Sunday – with teammate Charles Leclerc on the podium – the Briton admitted that he “couldn’t blame the car” for his position in Jeddah.
Hamilton lies seventh in the drivers’ standings and already trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by 68 points. Yet Ferrari team principal Vasseur believes it is a “positive” that Hamilton is so downbeat.
“I will give him support and we will start straight away to find solutions,” Vasseur said, after the race in Saudi.
“I am not too worried. Have a look at what he did in China or what he did in Bahrain last week or even in the first part of the session this weekend. The potential is there for sure.
“He’s down because he finished seventh and his team-mate is on the podium. It is positive that Lewis is down because if he was happy, it wouldn’t be normal.”
Questioned further on the Scuderia’s “dramatic” slump in form – from a position where they finished second in last year’s constructors’ championship – Vasseur reacted firmly.
“Dramatically?” he said. “We have done five races so far. I know that you won't have the big headlines tomorrow that Fred said this, but this is f****** bull****.
“You have ups and downs. When we have an up, we are not world champions. When we are down, we are not nowhere.”
Hamilton was nearly lost for words after finishing the Saudi race where he started, in seventh place.
Asked if he felt comfortable at all, in the fifth race of the 2025 season, Hamilton’s reply was short: “No. There wasn’t one second.
“Clearly the car is capable of being P3, Charles did a great job today, I can’t blame the car.”
Questioned if he had any idea why the car wasn’t working for him, Hamilton simply responded: “No.”
Ferrari are expected to bring an upgrade package to the next race in Miami (2-4 May), with both Hamilton and Leclerc revealing they will be present at Ferrari HQ in Maranello this week as they work towards an improved car for the rest of the season.
