Ferrari's team principal has acknowledged that he placed Carlos Sainz in a "difficult situation" this season, yet Frederic Vasseur has justified his decision to incorporate Lewis Hamilton into the team from 2025 onwards.
Vasseur has been notably reserved in his communications with the press regarding the impending and forced exit of the high-performing Sainz and the integration of seven-time world champion Hamilton into the lineup.
He expressed to Radio France, "Hamilton's arrival is very important for the team. In addition to the speed, he will bring calm to the team, experience from someone who has won a lot and an impressive track record. We need that at Ferrari to move forward and achieve more results," Vasseur asserted. "I'm also super happy because I'm convinced that Charles and Lewis will get along well."
The current year has been somewhat uncomfortable for Vasseur and Charles Leclerc, as Sainz has generally outperformed his teammate so far.
Further discussing Hamilton's future role, Vasseur remarked, "It will help Charles as a driver. Then it will not just be about performance in the car during qualifying or the race, but also about the total picture - so 365 days a year. And I think Lewis is an absolute master in this."
Vasseur also praised Sainz for his professionalism amid the challenges, as he continues to vie with the leading Red Bulls while exploring options for a new team post-2025.
"Since the beginning of this year, they have known how to keep playing the team game," Vasseur acknowledged, "even though Carlos is in a difficult situation. They did that very well in Australia," he detailed. "And in Japan we also asked them to switch positions because they were on different strategies. That radio message lasted no longer than a quarter of a second and did not cause any discussions. We need that peace."
