Ferrari have just given Lewis Hamilton something Max Verstappen wants at Red Bull with new Fred Vasseur deal

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Ferrari has extended the contract of team principal Frederic Vasseur after months of speculation surrounding his future at the team.

Vasseur has been at the helm since 2023 and has overseen six victories at the team so far, nearly matching the previous team principal, Mattia Binotto, who achieved seven wins.

Ferrari confirmed that they had given the Frenchman a “multiple-year” contract and that his renewal is a reflection of their “determination to build on the foundations laid so far” in a statement.

It comes amid speculation, primarily in Italian media, that Vasseur would be replaced by Ferrari due to a series of disappointing results in 2025, having brought Lewis Hamilton in to win a Drivers’ Championship.

Much of Ferrari’s 2025 season has been characterised by a car that is difficult to get into the right setup window, with Hamilton in particular struggling as outlined by the race in Belgium.

Discussing Vasseur’s contract extension on Sky Sports News (31/7, 9:13am), former F1 driver Anthony Davidson outlined why it was a win for Hamilton and that he’s been given something that Max Verstappen currently wants at Red Bull.

Anthony Davidson highlights how Ferrari has given Lewis Hamilton stability

Speculation over Verstappen’s future at Red Bull has intensified after George Russell implied that talks were going on between him and Toto Wolff about a move to Mercedes.

Verstappen’s camp wanted Christian Horner to be relieved of some duties, but the Austrian and Thai owners instead decided to sack him midway through the season. Davidson thinks Vasseur’s extension at Ferrari is a sign they are doing things in a better way than Red Bull, amid troubles on track.

“I think it’s a victory for all of them at Ferrari. I think both Charles and Lewis have a good relationship. They’ve both driven for Fred Vasseur’s team in the past, ART in F2 and GP2. So I think it’s a win for all of them. Consistency is something that every driver wants in a team,” said Davidson.

“Max Verstappen himself said that, didn’t he? And that hasn’t unfolded in the right way for Max, but he remains at Red Bull as far as we can tell. He’s going to be there for the future as well. But for the Ferrari team, second in the Constructors Championship, Fred Vasseur has done a good job.

“It’s not easy to win F1 races or championships, and people are too quick sometimes to make knee-jerk reactions. A bit like we see in football, where they want to kick out the leader because the team’s not performing, but it’s more of a slow burner in Formula One. So yeah, you have to give him a bit more time if we’re to see Ferrari win a World Championship again.”

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

Lewis Hamilton’s commitment to winning a title with Ferrari

Hamilton cast a dejected figure during the Belgian GP weekend when speaking to media about the problems he faced in his car, having failed to make it past Q1 twice in both Sprint and normal qualifying.

Alex Jacques thinks Ferrari made life difficult for Hamilton at Spa, given it was a Sprint weekend and they introduced new parts to their car.

Damon Hill thinks Hamilton needs more time to embed himself in the team, and the renewal of Vasseur’s contract will help things.

Hamilton has previously worked with Vasseur when he was at ART in Formula 2 (then GP2), likewise teammate Charles Leclerc, and has committed himself to winning a title with the Italian outfit despite their years of disappointment.