Fred Vasseur Admits Ferrari Underestimated Lewis Hamilton’s Diff…. read more 👇 full details in the comments section

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has openly admitted that he underestimated just how challenging Lewis Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari would be. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion made one of the biggest moves in the sport’s recent history when he left Mercedes for Maranello, but his first season in red proved far more difficult than either Hamilton or Ferrari had anticipated.

Vasseur now believes Ferrari should have done considerably more to help Hamilton settle into his new environment, particularly when it came to building strong relationships within the team. According to the Frenchman, the adjustment was not simply about learning a different car or adapting to a new technical philosophy. Hamilton also had to understand an entirely different organisation, culture and way of working.

Hamilton’s first Ferrari campaign in 2025 was ultimately disappointing. For the first time in his Formula 1 career, he completed an entire season without standing on the Grand Prix podium. Expectations had been enormous following his high-profile departure from Mercedes, with many believing that his experience and championship pedigree could immediately transform Ferrari into a serious title contender.

Instead, both Hamilton and Ferrari struggled to deliver the results expected of them. The difficulties quickly attracted enormous attention from the international media, creating additional pressure around the seven-time champion. Vasseur has since criticised what he considers an excessive reaction to Hamilton’s problems, arguing that the transition was always going to require patience.

The scale of the challenge becomes clearer when considering Hamilton’s history with Mercedes. He spent 12 seasons with the German manufacturer, making it the longest continuous period he had experienced with a single Formula 1 team. Over that time, Hamilton became deeply integrated into Mercedes’ structure, developed close relationships with engineers and mechanics, and understood virtually every aspect of the organisation.

Before Mercedes, Hamilton had also spent six seasons at McLaren, racing for the team while it was powered by Mercedes engines. In other words, his move to Ferrari represented a major departure from almost everything he had known throughout his Formula 1 career.

Moving to Maranello therefore required Hamilton to start again in many ways. He had to learn new procedures, communicate with different engineers, understand Ferrari’s working methods and establish trust with people he had never previously worked alongside. At the same time, Ferrari had to learn how to operate effectively with a driver whose experiences and expectations had been shaped by more than a decade at Mercedes.

Vasseur now recognises that Ferrari should have placed greater emphasis on that human side of the transition. He believes he personally should have dedicated more time to helping Hamilton integrate into the team and establish stronger connections throughout Maranello.

The situation has changed significantly in 2026. Twelve months after his difficult debut season, Hamilton has shown considerably stronger form. He has already collected five podium finishes and secured his first Ferrari Grand Prix victory in Barcelona, providing evidence that the adaptation process is beginning to produce results.

For Vasseur, the improvement demonstrates that Hamilton’s struggles were not simply a reflection of his ability or competitiveness. Instead, they were part of a much broader adjustment involving both the driver and the team.

Hamilton’s Ferrari journey remains under intense scrutiny, but Vasseur’s latest comments suggest that the team has learned important lessons from its first year together. With greater familiarity, stronger relationships and a better understanding between driver and team, Ferrari will hope Hamilton can continue building momentum and challenge for even bigger achievements in the future.