Ferrari team boss Frédéric Vasseur has defended Lewis Hamilton following the Hungarian Grand Prix. The driver had a tough weekend at the Hungaroring, even describing himself as ‘useless’ to his Italian employer. However, Vasseur believes that Hamilton made his comments in the heat of the moment, and that his self-criticism has actually contributed to his previous success.
“I’m useless,” was Lewis Hamilton’s own conclusion after the qualifying round in Hungary. “Ferrari should change drivers.” The driver has been struggling with the SF-25 in his first year at Ferrari, but for the first time this season, he failed to score any World Championship points during the entire race weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix. This was in stark contrast to his teammate Charles Leclerc, who managed to secure pole position.
Team Principal Vasseur’s Perspective
Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur, however, does not believe that Lewis Hamilton is entirely ready to throw in the towel. “I don’t need to motivate him,” the Frenchman tells Formula1.com. “He’s frustrated, but he still has plenty of motivation. Those are two very different things.” Yet, the team boss does understand where Hamilton’s comments are coming from. “If you were to put a microphone under the nose of a football player, for example, the statements wouldn’t be much better. Sometimes athletes just make such comments when they step out of the car.”
The French team boss himself believes that Hamilton’s self-criticism is part of what made the driver so successful in the past. “Yes, he is demanding, but that’s also what made him a seven-time world champion. He is demanding of the team, the car, the engineers, the mechanics, and even me, but first and foremost, he is demanding of himself.”
Support from Domenicali
Hamilton received support not only from his own team boss after his disappointing weekend in Hungary. Even Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali stands up for the driver. “Lewis is a gem, an incredible athlete,” the executive tells Sky Sports F1. “Even when things are tough, he bounces back. I have no doubt that he will soon show again why he is among the top. He is determined to win that eighth title, and he will triumph again. If you continue to support Lewis, he will deliver great races. He will come back stronger than ever after the summer break,” predicts the Italian.
