Ferrari F1 boss claims 'demanding' Lewis Hamilton has changed

Hamilton, Vasseur, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari F1 boss claims 'demanding' Hamilton has changed

The pair worked together before Hamilton entered F1

Chris Deeley

Friday 28 March 2025 20:54 Updated: 11:11

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has spoken out about how seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has changed since the pair last worked together.

Hamilton raced for the Frenchman in Formula 3 and GP2, with the then-young Brit winning both championships before graduating to Formula 1 with McLaren.

The pair have now reunited at Ferrari after nearly 20 years apart, although they have still kept in touch in the intervening years, with Vasseur having spoken about how their long-standing relationship helped grease the wheels for Hamilton's move to Italy.

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Vasseur has spoken to L'Equipe about Hamilton's evolution as a driver and a man, praising his legendary work ethic and admitting that he can be 'demanding' to work with.

"We all change in twenty years, but the common characteristic between the Lewis of today and the Lewis of 20 years ago is that he is extremely demanding," Vasseur said. "The first to go running in the morning, the first to exercise. It's his trademark, and he's kept it.

"And by being demanding of himself, he's also extremely demanding of everyone. He has this ability to push everyone a little. When we talk about driver performance, it's not just about braking late at turn eight."

Vasseur: We don't do things like other teams

Vasseur continued: "Lewis can get the most out of everyone around him because he's demanding of himself, and it works very well when he's demanding of others. It also allows us to change our perspective.

"We don't do things like Mercedes, like Red Bull, like McLaren; we all do things differently, but despite everything, we all manage to finish in the same tenth. Lewis, because of his background, has other demands, he thinks about things differently. And I'm not saying it's better or worse. But it helps us."

Hamilton's Ferrari career has got off to a slow start, with the seven-time champion only claiming one point from his first two full-length races with the team.

His stunning sprint race victory at the Chinese Grand Prix was backed up by a disqualification from the main race, alongside team-mate Charles Leclerc, each for different reasons.

It means that Ferrari sit down in fifth in the constructors' championship, on just 17 points from the opening two grand prix weekends.

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Lewis Hamilton Ferrari McLaren Fred Vasseur Formula 3 GP2