When Lewis Hamilton was introduced as a brand new Ferrari driver, the expectations surrounding the seven-time world champion and the Scuderia had been vastly completely different from the truth that unfolded. Followers and insiders alike anticipated to see Hamilton combating for the world title—a prize that Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc had come agonizingly near in 2024. Nevertheless, historical past took a unique flip, partly as a result of an SF-25 that was radically revolutionized in comparison with its predecessor, but stricken by persistent points that remained unresolved all through the season.
When you think about {that a} driver’s first yr in a brand new staff is commonly marked by preliminary adjustment hurdles, it turns into clear why Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 marketing campaign felt like a real nightmare. The previous Mercedes ace struggled to search out the required confidence within the automobile, regularly ending behind his teammate in each qualifying and race periods. His candid post-session feedback sparked intense debate, even main some to take a position a few potential early retirement for the 40-year-old Briton.
Vasseur explains the error made with Hamilton
Any speak of an early exit has been firmly dismissed by these concerned, with each staff and driver selecting to double down on a 2026 season crammed with promise. The upcoming regulatory overhaul provides Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari the prospect to lastly validate what many referred to as the “signing of the century.” To realize this, the staff should handle the core points skilled over the past yr. Fred Vasseur is properly conscious of this, and in a current interview with Sky Sport, he admitted to a miscalculation concerning the #44 driver.
“Charles already knew the staff properly—each member of the squad, the software program—and he already felt at residence. For Lewis, it was a large problem arriving right here from Mercedes. My mistake was underestimating that problem, particularly in a season the place a single tenth of a second might value you many positions on the grid,” the Group Principal defined.
Regardless of the troublesome begin, Fred Vasseur stays optimistic about the way forward for the partnership: “By now, he is aware of the staff and we all know him, which is why issues will go higher in 2026. He now is aware of the way to use the software program and the instruments on the automobile. For that reason, I’m positive he’ll do very properly,” Fred Vasseur concluded.
The hope among the many Tifosi is that these admissions will quickly translate into on-track outcomes, lastly permitting the seven-time world champion to combat on the sharp finish of the grid as soon as once more.
Fred Vasseur has taken private accountability for underestimating the complexity of Lewis Hamilton’s transition from Mercedes to Ferrari throughout a extremely aggressive 2025 season. Whereas the primary yr of the partnership was overshadowed by technical struggles and a steep studying curve, the staff stays firmly assured that Lewis Hamilton’s integration is now full. With the 2026 technical revolution on the horizon, Ferrari believes that Lewis Hamilton’s familiarity with their methods, mixed with a contemporary begin beneath new laws, will lastly unlock the championship-winning potential of this historic pairing.
Dec 20, 2025
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