Fred Vasseur reveals what was happening on Ferrari comms before Lewis Hamilton hit mechanic

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Fred Vasseur has explained what happened after Lewis Hamilton collided with a Ferrari mechanic at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Hamilton had to serve a five-second penalty when he made his pit stop under a virtual safety car after the stewards ruled that he caused a collision with George Russell.

Prevented from touching the car at first, Ferrari changed all four tyres and activated the green light, but one of the mechanics hadn’t cleared the area. Hamilton knocked him over as he pulled away, but he was assured that the team member was okay.

Fred Vasseur says Ferrari didn’t want to confuse their mechanics during Lewis Hamilton stop

Hamilton and Ferrari were investigated for an unsafe release, but they escaped with a financial penalty (a £25k fine) rather than a sporting one.

Sky Sports analyst Bernie Collins theorised that the Ferrari mechanic received a late call to adjust the front wing, which is why he was in the firing line. Hamilton wanted the car to be rebalanced after complaining of understeer during the first stint.

After the race, Vasseur confirmed that Collins’ suspicions were correct. Ferrari stayed silent on their internal communications, rather than issuing the front-wing instructions, because they didn’t want to confuse their mechanics.

Hamilton followed teammate Charles Leclerc into the pits as Ferrari tried to capitalise on the VSC period.

“The confusion came from the fact that we had a double pit stop, and the front wing adjustment just for the second, and we didn’t want to speak during the five seconds,” Vasseur explained, via The Race.

“If we start to speak, the mechanics could have jumped on the car [before the five-second penalty was served]. It’s not the mistake of Lewis.”

After Leclerc and Hamilton came home second and fourth, Vasseur praised Ferrari’s ‘execution’ in an interview with F1TV. But this was one moment in the race where the team faltered.

While the pit stop wasn’t necessarily planned before the VSC, they should have passed on the message about the front wing before Hamilton came in. It may not have cost them any positions, but they were fortunate that the consequences weren’t greater – in more ways than one.