Ferrari brass addresses their feud with Lewis Hamilton over the poor start to the 2025 campaign

A senior Ferrari official has broken silence on rumors of internal tension with Lewis Hamilton, dismissing claims of discord amid the seven-time champion’s rocky start to the 2025 season. Hamilton, chasing a record eighth title, shocked the F1 world by leaving Mercedes—where he won six championships—to join Ferrari this year. However, his debut with the Scuderia has been far from fairytale material: finishes of 10th in Australia, sixth in China, seventh in Japan and Saudi Arabia, and fifth in Bahrain have fueled speculation about friction.

While a sprint race win in China offered fleeting hope, whispers of Ferrari’s dissatisfaction grew louder. Now, the team’s leadership has stepped in to address the drama head-on.

Ferrari Boss shuts down Lewis Hamilton criticism

The man at the center of Ferrari’s defense? Team principal Fred Vasseur. The Frenchman, instrumental in luring Hamilton to Maranello, vehemently denied rumors of a rift, declaring unwavering support for the struggling star.

“I will be 2,000 per cent behind him,” Vasseur asserted, brushing off suggestions that Hamilton’s form has nosedived. “This idea that he’s declined is f*ing bull*t,” he snapped, emphasizing the tight competition in modern F1.

Vasseur pointed to flashes of brilliance—like Hamilton’s sprint victory in Shanghai and strong race pace in Bahrain—as proof of untapped potential.

“The speed is there,” he insisted, attributing Lewis Hamilton’s struggles to balance issues with the SF-25. “We’re collectively fighting to optimize the car’s setup and tire management. It’s a hurdle, not a dead end.”

Hamilton’s “painful” adaptation & Ferrari’s faith

Hamilton hasn’t shied from acknowledging his challenges. After qualifying seventh in Jeddah, he quipped he needed “a brain transplant” to sync with Ferrari’s machine. Post-race, he admitted the season could be “painful” with “no quick fix.” Yet Fred Vasseur sees silver linings in Hamilton’s frustration.

“If he were happy with seventh place, that would be abnormal,” he said. “His disappointment shows he’s a racer. We’ll turn this around—together.”

The stats paint a stark contrast between Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc. While Leclerc bagged Ferrari’s first podium (P3 in Saudi Arabia), Hamilton languished 30 seconds behind. Vasseur, however, refuses to pit them against each other.

“Charles masked the car’s flaws brilliantly,” he noted. “Lewis’s issues? They’re technical, not personal.”

A race against time

Lewis Hamilton’s response? Action. He scrapped personal plans to hunker down at Ferrari’s Maranello factory, determined to decode the SF-25. “I’ll have to cancel some plans,” he grimly told media—a nod to his relentless work ethic. Leclerc, too, will join factory sessions this week, signaling a united push before Miami’s Grand Prix.

Fred Vasseur dismissed the notion of 2025 as a “transition year” for Hamilton. “This isn’t a phase—it’s competition,” he stressed. “Last year, incremental gains paid off. We’ll apply the same approach now.”

The bigger picture: F1’s unforgiving margins

Ferrari’s struggles aren’t unique. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen—dominant in 2023—has faced erratic results, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri leads the title charge. Vasseur likened Hamilton’s plight to Verstappen’s Bahrain slump:

“Max was 30 seconds behind Piastri there, then won in Japan. Ups and downs define this sport.”

For Lewis Hamilton, the path forward hinges on patience and precision. “We’re tweaking hundredths of seconds,” Vasseur said. “That’s how titles are won.”

As F1 heads to Miami, all eyes are on Hamilton. Will Maranello’s data crunch unlock the SF-25’s secrets? Or will the pressure of scarlet expectations mount? Fred Vasseur’s message is clear: Ferrari isn’t hitting panic buttons. For Hamilton, though, the clock is ticking—and legacy waits for no one.