Even in his junior open-wheel career, Hamilton was a class apart from the field. While reminiscing about Hamilton’s 2005 F3 campaign, the Frenchman narrated, as quoted on X (formerly Twitter)

“His first year in Formula 3 he won 18/21 races, but beyond that I think it’s the high level of how demanding he is of himself and of those who work with him. I think it’s a characteristic of champions.” 

According to Hamilton’s biography authored by Frank Worrall, the Stevenage-born driver wrapped up the F3 title in 2005 with 4 races to go which prompted them to pay a personal tribute to him. They labelled him as the best ever driver in the series. After the season concluded, Autosport Magazine featured him in their “Top 50 Drivers of 2005“ issue, ranking him in 24th.

️| “What did you see in Lewis Hamilton as a junior?”

Fred Vasseur: “His first year in Formula 3 he won 18/21 races, but beyond that I think it’s the high level of how demanding he is of himself and of those who work with him.”

“I think it’s a characteristic of champions.

pic.twitter.com/xBjBgT48WT

— Ferrari News (@FanaticsFerrari) February 20, 2024

Hamilton extended his exploits into GP2 as well. Still being mentored by Vasseur, he won won the GP2 title (equivalent to today’s F2 championship) in his rookie season. Naturally, since then, the Briton has looked up to Vasseur. In 2025, the two of them will finally be reunited.

What prompted the Lewis Hamilton Ferrari move?

When reports and rumors were starting to trickle in that Hamilton was actually leaving Mercedes for Ferrari, many thought the news was fake. However, in a short span of time, F1, Mercedes, and Ferrari confirmed the reports. This sent the entire F1 world into a frenzy. Many even regarded it as the greatest driver transfer of all time.

Neither Mercedes nor Hamilton have divulged the real reason for their split. So, one can only take an educated guess. After suffering two winless seasons with the Silver Arrows, the mere idea of winning his 8th title with Ferrari could have been irresistible for Hamilton. Moreover, this was been probably the last chance for the 39-year-old to drive for Ferrari given he had already expressed that it was his dream to do so.

“If you’ve already achieved so much in the sport anyway, then why not?”

Max Verstappen on Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for 2025 pic.twitter.com/nE1SqE22kL

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) February 16, 2024

That being said, his affinity towards Vasseur could have convinced him to join Ferrari. Nonetheless, Vasseur and Hamilton still have a season to go before they can rekindle their once successful alliance.

The post “He Won 18/21 Races”: Fred Vasseur Reminisces Old Glory Days With Lewis Hamilton appeared first on The SportsRush.

While speaking to Sky News Italia about how Leclerc reacted to the news that Hamilton would be moving to Ferrari in 2025, Vasseur said, “Leclerc is an intelligent boy. He understood immediately what he will be able to obtain and learn from this collaboration. He sees it more as an opportunity“.

Similarly to Vasseur, Leclerc himself has revealed why he will welcome Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025 with open arms. The Monegasque said that since professional drivers like him want to compete against the very best, Hamilton would help him do exactly that.

Even though Leclerc has made such claims while speaking to the media, several reports have stated otherwise. These reports claim that the 26-year-old is not happy that Hamilton will replace Carlos Sainz next year.

Leclerc’s entourage was reportedly shocked to hear about Hamilton’s arrival

According to Corriere dello Sport, Charles Leclerc and his entourage are “disappointed” by the news of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari in 2025. The report adds that the Italian outfit’s decision “shocked” them as they had no idea that the Briton could sign for the team when Leclerc was negotiating his own contract.

Leclerc signed a new long-term deal with Ferrari, just a few days before the team confirmed that Hamilton would join them in 2025. However, there is no clarity available about whether Leclerc signed such an extension with the knowledge of Hamilton’s arrival or not.

On the same lines, another question that arises is whether Leclerc would have decided against signing an extension, had he known that Hamilton would join him at Ferrari in 2025. Although no one can know for sure what the chatter at Ferrari has been in the past few weeks, the only thing that seems certain is that the Prancing Horse are likely to have one of the most formidable driver line-ups next season.

Hamilton is a proven champion with seven titles and 103 race wins to his name. On the other hand, many experts believe that Leclerc is a future world champion, and all that the Monegasque needs is for Ferrari to deliver him a strong car.

The post “He Sees it More as an Opportunity”: Fred Vasseur Reveals Charles Leclerc Was Always On Board to Have Lewis Hamilton as a Teammate appeared first on The SportsRush.

The Frenchman and Wolff have been close friends in the F1 paddock. Hence, it would have unsurprisingly been awkward for Vasseur to relay such a piece of news to the Mercedes boss.

Ferrari Formula 1 boss Fred Vasseur says that telling Carlos Sainz that he will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton in 2025 was one of his “most difficult” phone calls.

Full storyhttps://t.co/AUPJJ6HbEu

— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) February 13, 2024

In terms of iconic driver moves, Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari is arguably the most historic moment within the sport. It arguably even eclipses his own move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013.

And the numbers reflect the same. Soon after Ferrari announced that they had successfully signed Hamilton for 2025, the parent company witnessed a whopping $10 billion rise in market cap on that day.

As for Vasseur, calling Wolff was not the only strange moment that he faced after signing Hamilton. The Frenchman then also had to inform Carlos Sainz about the disappointing news.

Fred Vasseur explains how difficult it was to inform Carlos Sainz about his sacking

In the buildup to the 2024 season, both the Ferrari drivers were entering into the last year of their contracts with the team. Charles Leclerc quickly signed a multi-year deal with the Maranello-based team, worth around $30,000,000 a year.

Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, was unhappy with the terms of the proposed contract, and hence, decided to stall the deal Ferrari offered. During the time the Spaniard waited for a revised offer, Lewis Hamilton sensed an opportunity and signed for the Prancing Horse.

Ferrari Formula 1 boss Fred Vasseur says that telling Carlos Sainz that he will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton in 2025 was one of his “most difficult” phone calls.

Full storyhttps://t.co/AUPJJ6HbEu

— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) February 13, 2024

Soon after the news broke out that Ferrari had signed Hamilton, Vasseur gave a call to Sainz. Motorsport.com quoted Vasseur as revealing, “As you can imagine it was not the easiest call of my life, one of the most difficult”.

Both Sainz and Wolff may feel hard done by Ferrari. In 2025, though, Sainz is looking for a seat and Mercedes are scouting for Hamilton’s replacement. Therefore, it won’t be too far-fetched an idea to see the Spaniard in Mercedes overalls from next season onwards.

The post Fred Vasseur Labels Call Regarding Lewis Hamilton to Be the “The Most Difficult” as It Surely Stunned the Mercedes Supremo appeared first on The SportsRush.

As revealed by journalist Jenna Fryer via X (formerly Twitter), Vassuer revealed that it was harder for him to contact Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. Although Vasseur and Wolff are the leaders of two rival teams, they share a strong relationship otherwise. When their teams are not in action, the two are often seen having a laugh with one another.

Vasseur also says the call to Carlos Sainz Jr. was one of the toughest of his life, but the call to Toto was tougher.

— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) February 13, 2024

Hence, it comes as no surprise that Vasseur would have found it difficult to discuss with Wolff about Ferrari poaching Hamilton. However, the Austrian boss is a veteran of the sport, and he most likely will understand that such poaching is a part and parcel of the sport.

Toto Wolff has never been concerned about poaching

Since Mercedes dominated the turbo-hybrid era from 2014 to 2021, many rival teams attempted to poach engineers from the eight-time champions. Red Bull was one of the many sides that poached several engineers from the Silver Arrows. However, despite losing key personnel to Red Bull, Toto Wolff revealed his arch-rival’s tactics did not concern him.

When asked about the same, Wolff replied, “We have a constant influx of Red Bull people, as we have from the other teams. The two of us are often discussing that. It is happening all the time“. The 52-year-old then added that he simply wishes his former staff that leaves Mercedes “the best” despite them having decided to join an arch-rival.

However, losing a key figure such as Lewis Hamilton is likely to hurt any team, including Mercedes. The Briton won six of his seven championships with the Silver Arrows and created a legacy with the team from Brackley.

Why did Lewis Hamilton leave Mercedes for Ferrari?

The primary reason Lewis Hamilton now decided it was best for him to leave Mercedes was because the Silver Arrows refused to accept his demands. As per reports, the 39-year-old was not only looking for a longer-term contract but also an ambassadorial role.

Mercedes rejected both his demands despite Hamilton having raced for them for over a decade. The best the team from Brackley offered Hamilton was a short-term deal that had various clauses.

Since Mercedes were playing hardball, Ferrari sensed an opportunity and grabbed it with both hands. They not only offered Hamilton an ambassadorial role for the next 10 years but also a whopping $87 million salary for 2025, with the option to extend the deal in 2026.

The post Ferrari Boss Reveals a Job He Found “Tougher” Than Informing Carlos Sainz About His Sacking appeared first on The SportsRush.

“Unfair for Sainz? I don’t know if unfair is the right word. Lewis [Hamilton] must be taken into account in all cases. He is the driver with the best record, and that has nothing to do with Carlos [Sainz].”

Hamilton‘s association with Vasseur dates back a little over 20 years now. The two even worked together as team principal and driver during Hamilton’s GP2 and F3 days. Given the same, Vasseur added that the Briton’s signing happened “naturally.” It was a step-by-step process, and Vasseur remains unsure of what the deciding factor was for Hamilton.

#F1 | Fred Vasseur said that the call with Toto Wolff to tell him that Ferrari was going to sign Lewis Hamilton was “the most difficult phone call.” pic.twitter.com/EAtDOZtjm8

— deni (@fiagirly) February 13, 2024

Vasseur further maintained that Hamilton’s arrival had nothing to do with Sainz. The 7X world champion’s onboarding was much more beneficial for Ferrari. It gave two iconic entities a chance to partner up and fight for the championship.

Lewis Hamilton remains a Ferrari rival in 2024

Despite officially signing Hamilton for the 2025 season, Vasseur recently emphasized the team’s need to remain focused on the job at hand. He believes his entire team, including Carlos Sainz, will showcase dedication and commitment until the final corner of the last race of 2024. “I’m fully convinced that Carlos [Sainz] will be fully dedicated and fully committed to the season until the last lap and the last corner of the season.”

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur says he wants the team to start 2024 where it left 2023 off “when we were consistent frontrunners”

Will they hit the ground running in Bahrain? #F1 pic.twitter.com/dSiVu6OrVO

— Autosport (@autosport) February 13, 2024

Vasseur further clarified why they made the Hamilton announcement so early. He claimed that he wanted his team to have full focus on the 2024 season. With no distractions about the future, the team would be able to focus more, according to the 55-year-old. The Frenchman refrained from talking about the move any further. He only reiterated the need to stay motivated and start working.

The post Lewis Hamilton Signing Has “Nothing to Do With Carlos” as Ferrari Wash Their Hands of Any Guilt Regarding Sainz appeared first on The SportsRush.

After building a relatively fine car in 2022, Ferrari slumped heavily in 2023. The team went from being competitive to struggling to finishing in the top three. At one point in 2023, they were the fourth-fastest team on the grid. While the drivers tried their best to extract out performances, the car just didn’t have enough.

It did not have the perfect aerodynamics and had tire wear issues. Notably, Ferrari could not predict how the car would react to the wind situation. Therefore, engineers found it difficult to predict where they would be fast, which in turn affected the set-up they had in mind for the weekend. Now, however, Leclerc hpes and expects the team to rise above this particular issue.

Leclerc said during the presentation of SF-24 as per Gazetta Motori,

“Wind sensitivity was the main aspect to improve, it was the thing that made us sweat the most in 2023 and I hope this problem has been resolved this year.”

The most notable incident was in the Miami Grand Prix when Leclerc began to push for the final run. With two minutes to spare, the Monegasque was P1, but spun out of the track. Later on, it was revealed that a gust of wind rattled the SF-23 and resulted in him crashing out. Nevertheless, Leclerc is hopeful this time as data from the simulator looks promising.

Charles Leclerc is happy after a positive simulation test of the SF-24

The much-awaited SF-24 has finally come out. With this, it is finally time for the drivers to deliver and everyone to know how well Ferrari worked over the winter break. Fans have to wait till live action resumes, to get an idea of how good Ferrari is this year. Leclerc, however, has good feedback.

Leclerc drove the SF-24 on the simulator and had a 15-kilometer test run at Fiorano. He seemed content about the car throughout. Nothing can be said until the lights go out in Bahrain but before that, the Monegasque will have time with the SF-24 when he takes out the car for the 200-kilometre filming day.

Our boys are looking sharp for the season ahead pic.twitter.com/AJMrQys4uE

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 13, 2024

Leclerc was excited during the SF-24’s unveiling and speaking on this, the 26-year-old revealed,

“There was also a great desire to see the new design. Of course, the car is red and from that point of view there are no surprises, but I really like the differences in terms of details. Seeing it for the first time is a thrill.”

Nevertheless, Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Tifosi will have high expectations once this season goes underway. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is joining Ferrari as Sainz’s replacement in 2024 will also keep an eye out on their development.

The post “Hope This Problem Has Been Resolved”: Charles Leclerc Makes Desperate Wish as Ferrari Launches 2024 Car appeared first on The SportsRush.

Hamilton and Vasseur go way back before the current Mercedes driver even made his F1 debut. According to Lewis Hamilton: The Triple World Champion (a book by Frank Worrall), Vasseur has admired Hamilton since his F3 days.

Charles to Lewis on his first day at Ferrari pic.twitter.com/hyEPLiiG66

— The Red Flags Pod (@TheRedFlags_Pod) February 1, 2024

Hamilton used to drive for ASM in F3, a team founded by Vasseur. Of course, Hamilton’s performances were exemplary, and in the Formula 3 Euro Series of 2005, he decimated the rest of the field winning 11 out of 16 races. The book quotes Vasseur saying,

“It was obvious that he was a natural, but also very dedicated. All drivers say that their ambition is to be world champion but very few actually focus on doing it. Lewis is one of the few.”

Hamilton’s relationship with Vasseur continued to grow stronger every day. The Frenchman’s fondness for the future legend kept growing, and the biography reveals how Vasseur thought Hamilton’s friendliness and presence motivated the team as a whole. This relationship between them continued to grow, even after Hamilton left F3, and ventured into F2.

How Fred Vasseur helped Lewis Hamilton’s GP2 success

After Ron Dennis (then McLaren boss) saw Hamilton making strides in F3, he wanted the Stevenage-born driver to make the jump to GP2 (which is Formula 2 today). Vasseur, taking charge of this, decided to give Hamilton a seat at ART, which was also his own team.

As he did in F3, Hamilton dominated GP2 too. In his very first season, he won the championship which was at a perfect time, since McLaren had a seat vacant for him at the pinnacle of motorsport.

A huge Deadline Day move pic.twitter.com/RYPFjeL5CG

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) February 1, 2024

It was finally time for Hamilton to move out of Vasseur’s care, but neither forgot the time they spent together. For Hamilton, the Frenchman helped pave the way for him to F1, which formed an ever-lasting bond. Before leaving for F1, he also paid a tribute, both to him, and Jean Todt who was also ART’s co-boss. He said:

“They gave a really good understanding technically because when you get into Formula 1 you really have to have a great knowledge of the car to be able to communicate with your team.”

Vasseur and Hamilton spoke to each other before every F1 race

Even after their partnership ended on paper, following the conclusion of Hamilton’s junior career, they stayed in regular touch. Last year, after becoming Ferrari’s team principal, as reported by Reuters, Vasseur revealed that Hamilton raced for him 20 years, ago but they were still close.

Vasseur refused to compare Hamilton to his current drivers. He even admitted that when seen together, the media creates a “lot of fuss”. But the truth is that their friendship remained stronger than ever, and they spoke to each other ahead of every race.

| Since joining Ferrari, Fred Vasseur’s approach has been to strengthen ALL areas.

Several engineers from Red Bull and Mercedes have been acquired.

Hamilton’s arrival is another piece of the puzzle.

[@GiulyDuchessa] pic.twitter.com/DvIbA1Gc85

— formularacers (@formularacers_) February 1, 2024

From Hamilton’s point of view, driving for Ferrari was always a dream. In 2023, at the age of 38, he signed a two-year extension with Mercedes, a team that helped him win six world titles,

Fast forward to February of 2024 and Hamilton will likely not honor this contract. Finally, destiny brings him closer to fulfilling his Ferrari dream and his old camaraderie with Vasseur has most probably played a big role in that.

What does this mean for Carlos Sainz?

Carlos Sainz has been fairly consistent for Ferrari since making his debut in 2021. He had his share of bad moments but has arguably been a strong presence on the grid, alongside teammate Charles Leclerc. According to many, Sainz’s partnership with Leclerc was the most balanced on the grid.

Unfortunately for the Spaniard, Hamilton seems to be more important to Vasseur and Co. They have seemingly prioritized the 39-year-old and rejected Sainz’s contract demands as a result. A driver of his caliber will likely find a suitor pretty easily, but which team he ends up in, ahead of the 2025 season, remains to be seen.

The post Why Lewis Hamilton’s Move to Ferrari Could Have Fred Vasseur’s Personal Bias Written All Over It appeared first on The SportsRush.

Gene is a Spanish former racing driver who has experience in driving in F1 and Le Mans. He serves as an expert analyst for Sky Sports F1 HD in Italy and at the same time holds the status of being the brand ambassador for the prancing horse. Gene is believed to have seen the upcoming car up close. Therefore, he revealed that the sensations of the car felt different from its predecessor.

The 49-year-old said as per MotorsportWeek,

“It is true that last year at this point we were no longer completely convinced with the car from what the simulator told us, and this year the sensations are very different.”

We’re getting closer to launch day pic.twitter.com/i8APIEvCc8

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 30, 2024

Furthermore, the reports also suggested that the Italian team was able to obtain more load without experiencing too much drag. Thanks to their latest wind tunnel runs. This put them in a good place ahead of 2024 as they can now bank on data recovery. A recovery in the order of 30 load points, which means around four and a half tenths on average.

According to the report by Formu1a.uno, the figure has been calculated by tallying the SF-23 specification from the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix in September with that of the season-ending 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November. This, indeed is a big leap for the Italian team, but also at the same time nothing too much to go against the mighty Red Bull.

Ferrari and their development for the 2024 F1 season

After a underwhelming two years, the pressure is high on Fred Vasseur and Co. to put up a genuine title challenge. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are both desperate to win races, something they barely managed to do last year against Verstappen’s repeated onslaught.

This is probably the reason why Vasseur and his engineers decided to go the Red Bull way. According to the report, Ferrari is going all out on closely resembling their 2024 F1 challenger with that of RB-19 – the mighty car that won 21 wins out of 22 races. However, there’s still an issue with the car and it is the nose.

New year, New name.

2024 loading… https://t.co/zMzL0Ms5E2 pic.twitter.com/w8v9xvcnMV

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 29, 2024

Leclerc and Sainz faced stiffness with the nose of the SF-23 last year. Any update on its improvement is still pending, whereas the engineers are all set to launch a modified front wing. It is expected to be a lot similar to the outwash design route taken by Red Bull already.

With Ferrari  trying to get closer, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner expects more competition on the grid in 2024. The Red Bull boss admitted that the upcoming season will not be a cakewalk for them. This is because McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes are all improving. However, he is not bothered by them as he believes in Adrian Newey and Co.

The British boss has wholehearted belief in evolution rather than revolution and is in a good place to continue their dominance for the upcoming season. The RB-20 is expected to be a finer machine than its predecessor and Newey will not leave any scope for Verstappen to complain when the business starts in Bahrain in a month’s time.

The post Ferrari Brand Ambassador Has Spilled the Secrets of the Team’s 2024 F1 Challenger appeared first on The SportsRush.

According to Motorsport.com, Vasseur and Co. are in negotiations with Sainz, who wants a two-year extension minimum. The Italian team reportedly only wanted to give the #55 driver a 1-year or a 1+1-year deal (option for 2026).

Sainz stated that it is “not ideal for a professional driver” to stay in the dark about his future. Thus, he wants to ratify the contract and get a long-term extension at Ferrari as soon as possible before the season starts.

| With the Leclerc contract signed, Sainz and Ferrari are currently at a standstill.

There is still a gap to bridge in negotiations pic.twitter.com/bVCEHRJvMb

— Ferrari Focus (@Scuderiascoop) January 25, 2024

The former Renault driver highlighted how he has faced uncertainty in the past with Red Bull and the French team itself in terms of his future. Thus, if Ferrari keep him in a similar situation as he enters the final year of his current deal, there is a possibility they may lose him.

There have been reports of teams like Sauber (to be Audi) approaching Sainz for a drive for 2025 and beyond. And with connections of his father and former boss Andreas Seidl, there are chances the 29-year-old may leave Ferrari if they don’t fulfill his demands.

Will Carlos Sainz get a similar deal to Charles Leclerc?

Charles Leclerc recently got a bumper contract extension for “several seasons” beyond 2024. While the length of the contract is still unknown, reports suggest it may be a 4 or 5-year deal with options such as exit clauses for the last 2 or 3 years. The pay hike is also quite hefty, so Carlos Sainz may envy his Monegasque teammate.

However, in F1, drivers seldom get deals at a similar pay grade. While Ferrari rate Leclerc and Sainz similarly, the former has always got some potential bias in his favor, as he is their star driver.

His last deal was a mega 5-year deal signed after 2019. So, Sainz would want to secure his position on the team with at least half the deal that Leclerc has received currently. However, if Sainz does leave, then what are his options besides Audi?

There are also some outside chances of the 29-year-old taking Sergio Perez’s seat at Red Bull, with the Mexican’s contract also expiring after 2024. Meanwhile, some experts have pointed out how Aston Martin may make an arrangement to move over Lance Stroll for an all-Spanish lineup of Sainz and Fernando Alonso.

However, out of these, only the Sauber-Audi opportunity seems the most realistic for the #55 driver. Regardless, his first preference would be to stay put with Ferrari.

The post Ferrari Boss Ends Carlos Sainz’s Exit Rumors With Important Contract Update appeared first on The SportsRush.

Sainz was blowing the candles on his birthday cake, when Vasseur decided to be cheeky. He pushed the Ferrari driver on the neck, hoping to smash his face into the cake. Sainz’s neck, however, was too strong compared to his boss’ feeble attempt.

 

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A post shared by RaceFeeling (@racefeeling)

The video of this was shared on Instagram by Racefeeling, and it seems as though fans share the same thoughts. The majority of the people were baffled at how the Frenchman thought it would be a good idea to push the neck of an F1 driver. On top of that, F1 drivers also train their reflexes a lot. They need to avoid accidents on the track and also make race-winning maneuvers. For that, they need solid reaction time.

Carlos Sainz too was surprised, as proved by his reaction. It is safe to say that F1 drivers’ necks deal with a lot worse than pushes from Fred Vasseur.

Why do F1 drivers train their necks so hard?

An athlete trains every part of their body, putting particular focus on the muscles and areas that require the most use in their particular discipline. F1 drivers work a lot on endurance, but they need to do heavy weight training on their necks.

This is because F1 drivers are subject to heavy G-Force when they are driving. This could be during acceleration or braking when the g-force can be more than 4 to 5 G. On the other hand, an unfortunate crash or a big impact can take it to above 100 G.

F1 drivers can experience 5Gs while decelerating into a turn, equivalent to 20KG of force on the neck. So, their neck strength training is next level (see Max Verstappen). pic.twitter.com/uQMekxeyV5

— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) January 17, 2024

If the neck muscles aren’t strong, drivers could suffer accidents that could prove to be fatal. This is why we see F1 drivers attach ungodly weights to their necks and rigorously train them ahead of every season – and sometimes in the middle of the season.

The post Carlos Sainz Shows How Strong F1 Drivers’ Necks Are by Dodging Ferrari Boss’ Bizarre Prank appeared first on The SportsRush.