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Fred Vasseur shares what Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari ‘need to improve’ since his Mercedes move

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Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari continue to endure a troubled 2025 F1 season, which could once again see team principal Fred Vasseur face a battle to retain his role in Maranello.

The pride of Italy have stomached almost endless woe so far this term, despite entering the campaign with Vasseur projecting potential title bids in the F1 drivers’ championship and in the constructors’. McLaren have already won the teams’ title with six rounds of 2025 spare.

With a maximum of 174 points still available this term, Ferrari would need a massive miracle for Charles Leclerc to win the drivers’ title. McLaren ace Oscar Piastri leads the Scuderia star by 163 points, while Hamilton is 211 behind ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin.

With the Maranello outfit also the only one of F1’s top four teams without a Grand Prix win after 18 rounds this season, it is being said that Ferrari could replace Vasseur with Christian Horner. There have even been reports that Leclerc and Hamilton will consider their futures.

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton speaks with team principal Fred Vasseur in the paddock at the 2025 F1 Miami Grand Prix
Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

Fred Vasseur believes Lewis Hamilton ‘knows’ he is ‘fully dedicated’ to improving Ferrari

The 2025 F1 season, and his first with Ferrari, is on course to represent the worst campaign of Hamilton’s 19-year career. With six rounds remaining, the 40-year-old is still yet to get on a Grand Prix podium, having never previously failed to get a rostrum beyond the 10th race.

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

TEAM PRINCIPALTEAMAPPOINTEDDEBUT RACE
Toto WolffMercedesJanuary 20132013 Australian GP
Andrea StellaMcLarenDecember 20222023 Bahrain GP
Fred VasseurFerrariDecember 20222023 Bahrain GP
James VowlesWilliamsJanuary 20232023 Bahrain GP
Ayao KomatsuHaasJanuary 20242024 Bahrain GP
Graeme LowdonCadillacDecember 20242026 Australian GP*
Andy CowellAston MartinJanuary 20252025 Australian GP
Jonathan WheatleySauberApril 20252025 Japanese GP
Flavio Briatore*AlpineMay 20252025 Emilia Romagna GP
Laurent MekiesRed BullJuly 20252025 Belgian GP
Alan PermaneRacing BullsJuly 20252025 Belgian GP
Formula 1 team principals sorted by debut race
*Flavio Briatore is the acting Alpine team principal

So, Hamilton has told Ferrari to make better use of their drivers’ feedback, as he thinks they rely too much on data to drive decisions. Also, Hamilton has given Ferrari documents listing the changes he wants the Scuderia to make throughout his first season at the pride of Italy.

Team principal Vasseur is pleased to see Hamilton and Ferrari adapt to each other, but he is aware that more is needed for their partnership to become a success. The Frenchman is also confident that Hamilton knows he is “fully dedicated” to improving Ferrari’s miserable 2025.

Vasseur told The Athletic: “He’s improving into the composition of the team. The team are improving into the composition of Lewis. So, we have to make a kind of ‘mayonnaise’ now. We need to improve step-by-step.

“I know that I can trust him, and he knows that he can trust me, and this is important. He knows that I will be fully dedicated to the team performance.”

Ferrari’s regression in the 2025 F1 season could cost Fred Vasseur his job

The 2025 season marks Vasseur’s third campaign in charge of Ferrari, as he replaced Mattia Binotto before the 2023 term. Last year suggested that the Frenchman had the Scuderia on the right path, as well, after they finished just 14 points behind McLaren for the team’s title.

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

Position Constructors' Standings Points
1

McLaren Racing

650
2

Mercedes-AMG Petronas

325
3

Scuderia Ferrari

300
4

Red Bull Racing

290

Yet while McLaren have now won back-to-back F1 constructors’ titles for the first time since 1991, Ferrari are fighting just to finish second again. Mercedes now lead the Scuderia by 27 points in the scrap for second ahead of the United States GP, and Red Bull are eight behind.

So, Hamilton – who won six of his seven drivers’ titles at Mercedes, as well as 84 of his 105 Grand Prix wins and 78 of his 104 pole positions – has sought to help Ferrari improve. Yet it falls on Vasseur to make the big changes that Ferrari need and may he need to save his job.