F1 News
Vasseur reveals: 'That's why we announced Hamilton's arrival so early'
- Ludo van Denderen
It was a very modest press release: only a single line Ferrari spent on Lewis Hamilton's arrival to the Scuderia in 2025. Around the presentation of the SF-24 - the car that will be driven by Charles Leclerc and the departing Carlos Sainz - there were naturally the necessary questions about the seven-time world champion's arrival.
Team boss Frederic Vasseur knew exactly what the media wanted to know, including the attending GPblog. So soon after saying the first words about the launch of the car for '24, the Frenchman switched of his own accord to the topic of Hamilton. "It's a huge opportunity for the team, for sure," Vasseur spoke about signing the former champion.
Ferrari does not want a distraction
"We are sure that, yeah, the Lewis will bring us a decent step for the future and it will be a good challenge for everybody. But we want to be focused on 2024," Vasseur said.
The team principal is not worried that Sainz, who has to look for another employer, will be unmotivated next season: "We don't want to have any kind of distraction. And it's also why we made the announcement so early that because it was important for us all over the season to be focused on 2024. I'm fully convinced that Carlos will be fully dedicated and fully committed to the season until the last lap and the last corner of the season. And equally that, I'm sure that all the team will be fully motivated and fully behind Carlos."
He added: "That is a great job for us so far, now that it's important for us to be again to be focused on 2024, we have a good opportunity. We work so hard on the project that I don't want again to have any kind of distraction. I won't make any further comment on this that. Don't try to ask questions. I know all of you and let's start now."