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Fred Vasseur says Lewis Hamilton’s behaviour at his lowest moment as a Ferrari driver is now ‘paying off’.
Hamilton won his first race in red at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, the seminal moment in his 2026 resurgence.
His first year at Maranello was so poor that some doubted he would even be on the grid this year, let alone the top step of the podium. The headline statistic was that he failed to score a single podium – a career first.
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Fred Vasseur: Lewis Hamilton is being rewarded for his resolve
Hamilton’s nadir arguably came at the Hungarian GP, when he qualified 12th as teammate Charles Leclerc took pole position. Speaking after that session, he called himself ‘useless’ and even suggested that Ferrari should ‘probably’ sign a replacement.
Hamilton didn’t gain any ground during the race – only the fifth time since 2010 he had crossed the finish line outside the points.
But according to Vasseur, he made an important choice immediately afterwards. Rather than seeking respite, which would have been understandable, he reported to Maranello the very next morning.
Vasseur, who acknowledges that the ’emotional’ nature of the driver and the team made the relationship difficult last year, says this determination in the face of adversity paid off.
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He told Channel 4: “He’s mega emotional, Lewis, in the positive and difficult moments, in both directions. The team is also a bit emotional.
“The collaboration between the two is sometimes difficult! But overall, he was able to come back after each difficult race.
“We had a tough event last year in Budapest. In Spa, he was able to come back, to be performant [Hamilton won driver of the day after climbing from 18th to seventh], to come back on the Monday morning at the factory.
“This is paying off today. I’m more than pleased for us, but more than pleased for him too.”
Hamilton has praised Vasseur for his role in this season’s turnaround. The Frenchman has apparently been receptive to his demands for change both inside and outside the car.
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