Ferrari boss issues fresh Lewis Hamilton update after ‘extreme’ comments
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has declared that Lewis Hamilton’s “confidence is back” after an improved weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix.
It comes just weeks after the Ferrari team boss criticised the seven-time World Champion for his “extreme” reaction to setbacks.
Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton ‘confidence is back’ after ‘tough weekends’Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
Lewis Hamilton cut a downbeat figure ahead of the F1 2025 summer break following two punishing weekends in Belgium and Hungary, where he failed to reach the top 10 in three separate qualifying session.
After qualifying a distant 12th in Budapest, where team-mate Charles Leclerc claimed Ferrari’s first pole position of the season, Hamilton repeatedly referred to himself as “useless” before suggesting that the team should consider replacing him.
In an astonishing interview during the summer break, Vasseur called for Hamilton to “stay calm” and argued that his “extreme” reaction to disappointing results only worsens the situation for Ferrari.
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The Frenchman went on to claim that Hamilton “sometimes exaggerates the problems he sees” with the car, insisting that the driver’s issues “aren’t huge, they just look that way.”
Despite suffering his first retirement of F1 2025 – as well as picking up a five-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari’s home race, at Monza – Hamilton enjoyed a stronger weekend at Zandvoort with his pace closer to that of Leclerc.
He was battling George Russell, his former Mercedes team-mate, for fifth place at the time of his race-ending mistake at the banked Turn 3 on Lap 23.
Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com after the race, Vasseur revealed that he was satisfied with Hamilton’s body of work at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Asked if Hamilton’s mistake at Turn 3 was a sign of his lack of confidence in the car, he said: “Not really. I think that this one was a bit of a special one.
“The track was a bit damp. It was during the first drizzle.
“He was a bit wider than the lap before but now we need to investigate if something happened with the car or not. I don’t think so.
“But overall, the reaction from Lewis was good.
“He was into the pace of the car and of Charles from the beginning of the weekend. He was catching up Russell at this stage.
“It was a good recovery after two tough races before the break, but for sure the outcome is not the one expected.
“I think that we’ll see tomorrow [Monday] when we do the full debriefing thing, but the first reaction after the race was more positive on the weekend.
“The fact that he was there, he was fighting for P5 or P4 in the race, that it’s much better than what we did at the last race in Budapest.
“Between that, I think the confidence is back and I think it’s preparation for Monza.”
More on Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari from PlanetF1.comHamilton admitted on Thursday at Zandvoort that the F1 2025 season has “not been the most enjoyable” as a result of the pressure on his shoulders following his high-profile move to Ferrari.
He went on to call for both himself and the team to start enjoying themselves and “remembering that we love what we do” across the final 10 races of the season.
Asked why Hamilton appeared quiet at the start of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, Vasseur said: “The fact that he was quiet on Thursday, I think it’s quite easy to understand.
“He had two tough weekends before the break and it was difficult for him.
“But now, if we suffered on Friday, it was more on the car side than something else. They were very collaborative and pushing and trying to find a solution to recover and they are already part of this recovery.
“That means that I can be more than pleased with the job done.
“The pace today from Lewis was a good one but he was stuck behind Russell.
“He did the job, but he lost the car. But overall, on the weekend, I think the contribution of Lewis was very good.”
Asked what he and Ferrari can do to enhance Hamilton’s enjoyment, he added: “To enjoy, it’s largely a matter of results and confidence and pace and the fact that you are into the game.
“But I think, honestly, today, it’s why I think Lewis had the perception that today was much better, even if the outcome is not.
“But at the end of the day, he was able to fight, able to race Russell and probably more today.
“It means that, for himself, I think it’s good, and it’s like this that he will enjoy. Me too!”
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