How do Lewis Hamilton and Frederic Vasseur know each other?
F1 News
It doesn't happen often that experts, analysts and fans, agree to the same degree: having Frederic Vasseur as team principal at Ferrari played a big role in Lewis Hamilton's decision to switch for the Italian team from Mercedes from 2025 onwards. But how do Vasseur and Hamilton know each other? GPblog explain the connection between the team principal and the seven-time world champion and their past together.
Vasseur and Hamilton in feeder series
Vasseur and Hamilton, on their way to Formula 1, excelled together in feeder series on their way towards the pinnacle of motorsport. The Frenchman had a good eye for young talents and founded the ASM back in 1996. After Hamilton finished fifth in the standings of the 2004 Formula 3 Euro Series with Manor, he joined ASM in 2005. Hamilton became the champion that year, in a competition where he had to face drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Adrian Suttil and Lucas di Grassi.
A year later, the now seven-time F1 world champion Briton graduated to GP2 (now Formula 2), just a step below the top class. In 2004, Vasseur already joined ART Grand Prix, and for the second time in two years, he could celebrate a title with Hamilton in 2006 too. As champion, Hamilton then joined McLaren-Mercedes and had an impressive rookie year when he just missed out on being crowned to Kimi Räikkönen by a single point.
The pair's record in GP2 and F3 Euro Series
In GP2's 2006 season, in 21 races, Hamilton only could not step on the podium twice, and finished the season with five victories, and only a single pole position.
In 2005 at AMS in the Formula 3 Euro Series, in 20 races, Hamilton won 15 times, had 13 pole positions, and finished third twice. When he was not disqualified or did not have to retire his car, the Briton finished on the podium every time except for the first race at the Nürburgring. That season, the driver from Stevenage also won the Masters of Formula 3 GP.