Lewis Hamilton Is Proving A 'good Match' With Ferrari, Says Workforce Principal Fred Vasseur As SF-25 Launches

Frederic Vasseur says Lewis Hamilton is proving to be a “good match” with Ferrari, because the seven-time world champion prepares for his debut marketing campaign with the Italian workforce.

Having introduced final February that he would be part of Ferrari after 12 years at Mercedes in probably the most gorgeous driver transfers in System 1 historical past, Hamilton is simply weeks away from his first race in pink.

The 40-year-old Brit mentioned he was feeling “invigorated” at F1’s all-team launch in London on Tuesday, earlier than driving their 2025 automobile – the SF-25 – for the primary time on the workforce’s personal Fiorano check monitor on Wednesday alongside team-mate Charles Leclerc.

Vasseur was Hamilton’s workforce boss in GP2 (now System 2) in 2006 and seems to be more than happy with what he has seen in the course of the early phases of their reunion, forward of pre-season testing in Bahrain subsequent week – reside on Sky Sports activities F1.

He mentioned: “He is not the identical, he is 20 years older than after we have been collectively first and everyone is altering, enhancing, growing.

“For certain, he is far more mature, far more skilled and he is the proper match with the workforce at this time.

“That is precisely what I used to be on the lookout for, for the workforce, for me, for Charles, I feel it is the proper mixture.”

Hamilton’s age, and a few underwhelming performances – notably in qualifying – throughout his ultimate season with Mercedes have led some to query whether or not his powers are declining, however Vasseur pointed to the 2024 season finale as proof of the Brit’s skill.

He added: “He confirmed in Abu Dhabi, ranging from the again and coming again to P4, overtaking Russell within the final lap, that the tempo is there and I had little doubt earlier than.”

‘Now we have to keep away from being shy with Hamilton’

Hamilton arrives at a Ferrari workforce which fell marginally wanting claiming a primary Constructors’ Championship since 2008 as they completed 2024 simply 14 factors behind McLaren.

There may be nice pleasure in Italy that Hamilton’s arrival can assist finish that wait, or the one for a drivers’ title which stretches again a 12 months additional.

Earlier than Wednesday’s SF-25 shakedown, Hamilton’s solely different time in a Ferrari has been driving their vehicles from the previous few seasons in check days over the past month.

Whereas Vasseur acknowledges that state of affairs will, no less than for now, restrict how a lot suggestions Hamilton can present, even small choices could possibly be essential given the anticipated tightness of the battle on the entrance in 2025 as the game enters the fourth and ultimate season of its present cycle of rules.

Vasseur mentioned: “They (drivers) all are a part of the event of the automobile, of the evolution of the automobile. For certain, for Lewis it is the primary stage of this collaboration, as a result of he did solely two TPCs (testing of earlier vehicles) and is now on monitor, however for certain, the suggestions is all the time vital.

“The suggestions helps the workforce to develop and to do a greater job. Even when it is some small particulars, what now we have to bear in mind is that final 12 months, we completed 14 factors behind McLaren. It signifies that it is lower than one level per race. It is a median three hundredths of a second between us and the man in entrance of us on the grid.

“It signifies that we’re all the time talking about particulars. It is not a matter of adjusting the automobile fully or no matter. If we’re capable of convey a small little bit of efficiency on one or two matters, it is already an enormous step ahead.

“And Lewis is coming together with his personal expertise, together with his personal background, and he’ll assist the workforce to develop in each single space. For certain, he’ll do a fast comparability between the 2 engines, between the 2 chassis, between how we function on monitor.

“And us as a workforce, now we have to keep away from being shy and to attempt to perceive the place we are able to enhance. And that is my job and the job of the technicians.”

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