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F1: Ferrari's Vasseur let go of Sainz because Hamilton is the best solution

This is the reason why Ferrari signed Hamilton according to Vasseur

28 December at 08:00

It has been a much debated choice, Ferrari's ousting of Carlos Sainz and signing of Lewis Hamilton, and it has seen the Italian team come under heavy fire from pundits and analysts throughout the world. However Frederic Vasseur, the Italian team's principal remains adamant that the former Mercedes driver is the "best solution" for Ferrari for the immediate future and looking onward to 2026.

Why did Ferrari sign veteran Hamilton?

While Mercedes hired rising star, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Ferrari chose to put their faith in Hamilton. "I think there is no rule behind these choices, but you need to do what is best in a specific moment in your context. I think Hamilton is the best solution for us today also in view of the 2026 regulation changes," Vasseur told Autosprint, later adding that the young Mercedes talent would be "well-prepared" for his F1 debut following his F2 season and intensive TPC (Testing of a Previous Car) program set in place by the German Manufacturer. 

However, the Frenchman remains firm in his decision to bring Hamilton to Maranello saying that Ferrari "needed Hamilton". With regards to Antonelli, Vasseur points to the unpredictability of the F2 season's eventual outlook, as opposed to the estimations made prior to the season's start, as yet another reason to temper predictions around outcomes before any racing has been done.

"This year in Formula 2 there was the introduction of the new single-seater and several teams struggled. The favorites on the eve were Bearman and Martins. Instead, other names came out," concluded the Ferrari team boss.

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