Lewis Hamilton has publicly endorsed his Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur as the right person to lead the Scuderia, yet simultaneously suggested that the management structure surrounding him could require significant changes. Speaking ahead of this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia—held at the Sepang circuit as a replacement for an earlier cancelled race—Hamilton addressed mounting speculation about Vasseur's position amid the team's recent underperformance.
The Ferrari driver's comments come as the team faces intensifying scrutiny. Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner stated last week that taking over at Ferrari would be his dream job, fuelling debate about Vasseur's future. In response, Ferrari arranged a media briefing on 29 September, where a spokesperson said the company had "full confidence" in Vasseur. Hamilton echoed this sentiment on Thursday in Sepang.
"Structure is very important and so is stability and everyone rowing in the same direction is key in any business," Hamilton said. "There often seems to be a lot of focus on one individual and one role here. Fred is a fantastic leader and he really is the guy to take this team in the right direction."
However, Hamilton suggested that the broader management framework above Vasseur warrants examination. The Ferrari hierarchy includes executive chair John Elkann and chief executive officer Benedetto Vigna, positions that sit above the team principal. Drawing on his experience at Mercedes, where Toto Wolff operates in a fundamentally different structural arrangement, Hamilton indicated that Ferrari's leadership model could benefit from review.
"There is a structure that has been there for some time and whether or not that needs looking at moving forwards? There are obviously also people above Fred and it is not about one person,"he explained.
"There are changes I would make but I am not going to talk about what those are. Toto is in a different position to Fred. The structure is a lot different."
According to reports from Malaysia, Charles Leclerc also publicly backed Vasseur, calling rumours about his future "silly" and saying he trusts him and considers him important to the team. Hamilton reinforced his personal support, noting that he had personally reiterated his support to Vasseur and believed replacing the team principal would be "detrimental".
Why is Ferrari under pressure?
Ferrari's recent performance has drawn considerable criticism. Although the team secured victories through Hamilton at Barcelona and Leclerc at Silverstone, they currently sit second in the constructors' championship, trailing Mercedes by 160 points. Hamilton himself trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 103 points. The team had gone five races without a podium before the Malaysia weekend, a significant drought for a constructor of Ferrari's stature.
Ferrari began the season with what was widely regarded as one of the strongest chassis designs on the grid. However, as McLaren and Red Bull have developed their cars, Ferrari's competitive advantage has diminished, intensifying pressure on Vasseur's leadership. The scrutiny has been particularly acute given that Vasseur joined Ferrari in 2023 after replacing Mattia Binotto, making 2026 his fourth season leading the team.
How is the external criticism affecting the team?
Hamilton acknowledged that the relentless negativity surrounding Ferrari has created a demoralising atmosphere, though he stressed that the outside commentary does not reflect the reality of the team's efforts.
"It is frustrating to see all the negativity. You see other teams making mistakes and no one says too much about it. We make the same mistake, and we know we are not perfect, but it is 10 times worse for Ferrari."
While Hamilton stated that he personally does not absorb the criticism, he recognised its impact on his colleagues.
"I don't read all the stuff, so it has zero effect on me, but when I come into the room I can see it definitely affects individuals on the team. They don't know what is happening behind closed doors and they don't know how hard everyone is working and it is all done by assumptions and opinions."He added that the outside criticism was "trying to break our spirit" but "not succeeding".
What is Hamilton's outlook for Ferrari?
Despite the current challenges, Hamilton expressed cautious optimism about Ferrari's future trajectory.
"We are going to focus on doing the best job we can regardless of what is written. I knew it wasn't going to be in my second year [at Ferrari] where we would be where we want to be, but I am hoping and praying that we will get there."
Hamilton's comments suggest he views the team's struggles as a developmental phase rather than a fundamental crisis. His willingness to publicly support Vasseur while simultaneously advocating for structural changes reflects a nuanced assessment: the team principal is capable, but the organisational framework around him may require adjustment to unlock Ferrari's full potential.
What happens next?
Friday practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia is scheduled for 2 October, with sessions at 5:30am and 9am UK time. The next round after Sepang is the Singapore Grand Prix, scheduled for 9–11 October. These upcoming races will provide an immediate test of whether Ferrari can reverse its recent form and whether the internal unity that Hamilton and Leclerc have publicly demonstrated can translate into competitive performance.
