Frederic Vasseur feels Lewis Hamilton ‘confirms’ one thing about Ferrari after quitting Mercedes

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Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes after 12 trophy-laden seasons to join Ferrari from 2025, which ‘confirms’ one thing about the Scuderia for team boss Frederic Vasseur.

The 39-year-old and the Silver Arrows became the most dominant driver-team pairing in the history of Formula 1 after Hamilton switched McLaren for Mercedes in 2013. Together, their partnership has led to six drivers’ titles, eight constructors’ titles and 84 Grand Prix wins yet.

Hamilton has also recorded 78 of his record 104 pole positions for Mercedes, whose engines have powered every Formula 1 car he has ever driven. But the Stevenage-born star will soon wear red from next year after Hamilton signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari in February.

Lewis Hamilton ‘confirms’ Ferrari have ‘the right car’ to compete in Formula 1

Tempting Hamilton to activate the release clause in his Mercedes contract, which could have run through 2025, to join Ferrari ‘confirms’ for team principal Vasseur that the Scuderia now boast ‘the right car’ to fight at the front of Formula 1 as the wait for their next titles continue.

Red Bull and Mercedes have dominated F1 since Ferrari were last the squad to beat and had a drivers’ champion. Kimi Raikkonen remains the last racer to win a drivers’ title with Ferrari as he denied Hamilton the crown in 2007. Ferrari also even last won the teams’ title in 2008.

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Since Ferrari won the 2008 constructors’ championship, the closest the Scuderia have come to their 17th crown was in 2012 with a 60-point deficit to Red Bull. But Hamilton’s imminent arrival in Maranello convinces Vasseur that Ferrari are ready to fight for the biggest honours.

Vasseur said at the Festival dello Sport: “Of course, [Hamilton] is a driver who wants to have guarantees when it comes to performance. This aspect is always his top priority.

“If he has decided to come to Ferrari, then that confirms to me that we can have the right car. [That is] also the ultimate goal. A driver like Lewis doesn’t just come to us for a holiday.

“I believe we are in the right place in terms of performance. We need to take a step forward and I can say that we have dedicated a lot of resources to our next project.”

Fernando Alonso’s 2012 near-miss is the closest Ferrari have come to a drivers’ title since 2007

Hamilton would, likely, immediately cement himself as a Ferrari legend if he can become the Scuderia’s first drivers’ champion since Raikkonen and their 16th all-time. Winning a title for Ferrari will also see Hamilton surpass Michael Schumacher as the only eight-time champion.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025

Schumacher won five of his seven titles with Ferrari plus two for Benetton, whilst Hamilton has won six of his with Mercedes after one with McLaren in 2008. But the closest a Ferrari driver has come to a title since Hamilton beat Felipe Massa by a point in 2008 was in 2012.

Fernando Alonso finished the 2012 season only three points behind Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull as the German won the third of his four successive drivers’ titles. Alonso also ended the 2010 season in second place to Vettel by four points plus the 2013 campaign by 155 points.

Vettel also came close to winning a drivers’ title with Ferrari, only to be denied by Hamilton by 46 points in 2017 and by 88 in 2018. Charles Leclerc was the last Ferrari driver to finish a season second in the championship when he trailed Max Verstappen by 146 points in 2022.