Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur is adamant he is “not worried at all” about Lewis Hamilton‘s recent results as he endured a dismal Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix.
Hamilton experienced a chaotic race at the Lusail International Circuit as two penalties and a puncture resigned him to coming home outside the points in 12th place.
The Briton’s recurring struggles to extract consistent pace over one lap in 2024 led him to claim he has become “slow” as he trailed behind team-mate George Russell.
Hamilton now languishes 18-5 down on Russell in the qualifying head-to-head, while he is 24 points back from his less experienced partner with one round remaining.
Hamilton’s tough campaign – which has comprised one podium since the summer break – has triggered suggestions Ferrari might be regretting the choice to sign him.
However, Vasseur, who oversaw Hamilton’s run to his GP2 title in 2006, has claimed that he harbours no worries about the seven-time F1 champion’s competitiveness.
Asked whether Ferrari was concerned about Hamilton’s struggles, Vasseur told media including Motorsport Week post-race: “Not at all.
“Have a look on the 50 laps that he did in Vegas. Starting P10, finishing on the gearbox of Russell [who won the race], I’m not worried at all.”
Wolff expands on Hamilton’s struggles
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff agreed with Hamilton’s assertion that he still has what it takes and attributed his driver’s woes to the current ground effect generation cars.
However, Wolff has conceded the German marque’s inconsistent W15 machine not being compliant with Hamilton’s inputs has accentuated his problems this season.
“I think one of the strengths is always how he’s able to brake late, attack the corner and that car can’t take it,” Wolff explained.
“Then when there’s days like today days where the grip comes in that phenomenon is even more articulated and makes it even worse for him and makes it worse for George also.
“Then if the car slides more and lacks grip it comes alive so that’s a pattern feature of this car. So that contributes to him probably suffering more than George.”
Ground effect cars creating ‘oscillating performance’
Wolff was then asked whether Daniel Ricciardo’s similar troubles in recent times show that drivers who thrive on being aggressive on the brakes have been hurt more.
“With these generations of cars, no team apart from Red Bull has found a solution that there’s stable performance over most of the tracks through all of the ambient conditions,” he said.
“There is this massive oscillation that you can see. How can it be that the Red Bull is nowhere on one day and then on the next day just very dominant and the same for us?
“We’ve got two seconds quicker in Las Vegas at some time in the race we cruise in the front and everybody else fell back and then here we see the opposite.
“I think it’s just they’re so sensitive in that window to operate that when you try to force it it becomes even more unstable in the platform.
“I’ve been thinking what is Lewis’ problem we can see that in other cars with other drivers as well that have oscillating performances.”
Pressed on whether Hamilton’s driving style could be accentuating his problems, Wolff responded: “Maybe. But this is so subtle. Clearly when you’re very strong in the braking you need a car that’s strong in turning; you just hit the throttle, you need lots of traction. When the car is not giving you any of that it’s very difficult to drive around.”
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