BREAKING:Ferrari delivers Lewis Hamilton verdict after… read more
Following the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur stepped in to defend Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time world champion expressed significant frustration with his performance and the SF-25’s behavior during the race. Despite starting from a promising fifth position on the grid, Hamilton crossed the finish line in seventh, visibly disheartened by a race he described as having “zero positives.” He was later promoted to sixth place due to a time penalty for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, but this did little to lift Hamilton’s spirits.
Hamilton’s mood was particularly grim during post-race interviews, where he admitted he had “no idea” why the car performed so poorly. His confusion and disappointment were heightened by the fact that he was overtaken late in the race by Nico Hulkenberg, driving the less competitive Stake car, shortly after a safety car period.
Fred Vasseur, however, took a more measured view of the situation. Speaking to the media, including RacingNews365, Vasseur urged journalists not to jump to conclusions based solely on Hamilton’s initial emotional response. He reminded them of Hamilton’s vast experience and the tendency for drivers to be overly negative immediately after a tough race.
“You are experienced enough not to draw conclusions after the first words of the driver,” Vasseur said, pushing back against suggestions that the race was a complete disaster. “If you want to create a panic, you can, but it is not the case.”
Vasseur highlighted a crucial aspect of Hamilton’s race that he felt had been overlooked in the pessimistic commentary. “I think he did 70% of the race in front of Russell,” he said, referring to teammate George Russell. Vasseur also questioned whether Russell had similarly described the race as disastrous, subtly implying that context was needed before forming any harsh judgments.
The Ferrari boss acknowledged that there had been an unspecified issue with Hamilton’s car during the final stint of the race, which occurred before the safety car. He declined to go into detail about the nature of the problem, but did confirm it had impacted performance. “We then had an issue with the car in the last stint before the safety car, and the result is not good,” Vasseur admitted. “But he did 45 laps in front of Russell.”
While Hamilton was visibly dejected and confused by his lack of pace, Vasseur maintained that the race did have some positive elements and emphasized that such performances should be evaluated with a broader perspective. His comments aimed to calm speculation and maintain morale within the team as Ferrari continues to understand and develop the SF-25 for the remainder of the 2025 season.
