Ferrari staff principal Fred Vasseur is anticipating Lewis Hamilton to reinforce the Scuderia’s mindset because it retains working in the direction of a primary System 1 world title since 2008.
Ferrari fought for this yr’s constructors’ championship with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz till the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the place its 21-point deficit on McLaren proved to be too giant to beat because it ended up 14 factors away from the crown, vanquished by race winner Lando Norris’ impeccable drive.
This has nonetheless been, when it comes to grand prix wins (5) and podium finishes (22), the staff’s most profitable season since Sebastian Vettel’s bid for the 2018 drivers’ title.
Ferrari has recovered underneath Vasseur’s management since he took over as staff principal in January 2023, and the Frenchman is adamant that new rent Hamilton will make a distinction when the seven-time world champion replaces Sainz alongside Leclerc subsequent yr.
Hamilton spent the final 18 seasons racing for McLaren and Mercedes with each squads of British custom, and Vasseur believes this totally different tradition will probably be enriching for the “remoted” Scuderia – usually that includes a big contingent of Italian engineers and mechanics as considered one of System 1’s three groups largely primarily based exterior England.
Unconcerned by Hamilton’s current lack of one-lap tempo, Vasseur claims the Briton’s work ethic will make a distinction on the subject of margins as positive as they had been this season.
“I’m satisfied that Lewis will come along with his personal expertise, with the background of 18 years in F1, with a few titles and so,” Vasseur mentioned following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, “and it will likely be an actual push to maintain this mindset, to attempt to do a bit higher all over the place.
“I completely bear in mind with Lewis in 2005-06 that he was already like this, pushing on the small particulars,” he added, referring to his time main the ASM/ART outfit in junior single-seaters. Racing for the French staff, Hamilton dominated the 2005 F3 Euro Collection and the 2006 GP2 Collection – F2’s predecessor.
Lewis Hamilton, ART Grand Prix, celebrates pole place with Frederic Vasseur, ART Grand Prix
“On the finish of the day, when you’ve got a glance, I believe that on common the delta between McLaren and us in qualifying was a few hundredths, and we’re actually at this stage, additionally with Purple Bull and Mercedes, that we’re talking about particulars.
“We actually have to have this sort of mindset to chase the final one-thousandth in each single space and I believe Lewis will probably be an excellent asset for this additionally.”
Hamilton, in the meantime, has made it clear that he doesn’t underestimate the problem he’s taking on at Maranello.
“After all it actually sparks motivation and it is a dream state of affairs for any driver to have a chance like this,” the long run Ferrari driver mentioned on Thursday at Yas Marina. “So, do not take that with no consideration.
“I realise it is a steep… You recognize, I bear in mind once I joined Mercedes, and it isn’t a simple step to ever enter into a brand new staff. And it takes time to construct new relationships and study the instruments and all the things. Coming into subsequent yr with that very same focus, that very same may that I had once I joined Mercedes and with in the end that leap of religion, I believe is thrilling and exhilarating.”
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Ben Vinel
System 1
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
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