Annoyed Fred Vasseur hit back at journalist over Lewis Hamilton question at the Hungarian GP, ‘not a good one’

Follow us on Google Discover

Ferrari have had to do plenty of work in recent weeks to extinguish suggestions that some key members of staff could be on the move.

Team principal Fred Vasseur came into this season knowing that he was entering the final year of his Ferrari contract.

Off the back of last season, offering Vasseur a new contract should have been a no-brainer, as Ferrari were just 14 points behind McLaren in the constructors’ championship.

The arrival of Lewis Hamilton alongside Charles Leclerc should have given Ferrari the boost they needed, but that hasn’t proved to be the case.

Ferrari have developed a car that can’t compete with McLaren, even if Leclerc managed to put the SF-25 on pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

However, even Ferrari’s new rear suspension update hasn’t moved the needle compared to the championship leaders, and it hasn’t helped Hamilton consistently reach the same level as Leclerc.

Last weekend was the nadir for Hamilton, suggesting in his post-qualifying media session that Ferrari should consider changing drivers, and failing to score points for the first time in 2025 across a race weekend.

Vasseur had to face the media after Hamilton got stuck in 12th after a poor strategy call, and Leclerc’s undisclosed car issue cost him a podium finish and potentially victory.

The normally polite and jovial team boss’s mood suddenly changed after one question from a journalist immediately after the event.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

Fred Vasseur annoyed by question over Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari wage at the Hungarian Grand Prix

A report from The Mirror has shared more details about Vasseur’s post-race press conference.

They note that a ‘particularly frosty’ moment occurred when the print media were given their opportunity to speak to the Ferrari team principal.

He was asked whether Hamilton, who is reportedly earning £39m-a-year, represented good value for money.

Vasseur was annoyed and not ‘willing to entertain’ the question, responding with a ‘withering tone’: “I am not sure that I understand your question, or if I do understand then it is not a good one.”

When asked about Hamilton’s mindset, he continued: “He is frustrated, but not demotivated.

“I can perfectly understand the situation. He is demanding, but that is why he is a seven-time world champion.

“First of all, he is very demanding with himself. When you are a seven-time world champion, your teammate is in pole position and you are out in Q2, it’s a tough situation.

“I can understand the frustration from Lewis, but this is normal, and he will come back.”

READ MORE: Who is Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur? Everything you need to know

Lewis Hamilton unable to push his Ferrari to its limits at the Hungarian Grand Prix

As soon as Hamilton realised he had narrowly missed out on advancing to Q3, he knew he had a battle on his hands.

Leclerc compared the Hungaroring to Monaco, and it proved to be nearly as difficult to overtake on Sunday as when F1 visits the principality on the Mediterranean.

Hamilton was told to lift and coast in the opening laps of the race, something that immediately made his progress more difficult.

He was on the slower hard tyres, but as the race progressed, it became clear that many cars who started on the softer medium compound would also be able to match his strategy.

Martin Brundle admitted watching Hamilton was painful in Hungary, and the ground-effect era can’t come soon enough for the seven-time world champion.

It means the pressure is on at Ferrari to nail next year’s car, otherwise Hamilton’s spell with the Scuderia is likely to end in the same way as every other champion who has joined the team in recent years.