Vasseur’s verdict: ‘No doubt’ Hamilton will soon perform at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton’s grand Ferrari adventure kicked off in earnest at the Australian Grand Prix, and while his 12th-place finish in FP1 on Friday raised a few eyebrows, team principal Fred Vasseur isn’t losing a wink of sleep.

The seven-time world champion, fresh from a legendary run with Mercedes where he clinched six of his titles over more than a decade, is now settling into life at Maranello.

Sure, he lagged six-tenths behind teammate Charles Leclerc in that opening session, but Vasseur’s faith in the Briton’s ability to adapt and shine remains unshaken.

Chatting with the press in Melbourne after FP1, the Frenchman painted a picture of calm progress.

"The target is for him to know everybody into the team, to discover the software, the process, the system."

For Vasseur, this isn’t about instant fireworks – it’s about laying a foundation, brick by meticulous brick.

Laying the Groundwork

Hamilton’s journey into Ferrari’s world began well before he rolled into Albert Park. Back in January and February, he strapped into some of the Scuderia’s older machines as part of their Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) program, getting a feel for the team’s rhythm.

"Yeah. And it's just a learning process, but we did one or two days there with the TPC, one month or two months ago, it was the good way to approach it,” commented Vasseur.

“These TPC sessions, behind the wheel of Ferrari's older machinery in January and February, was Hamilton's introduction into the team's systems. But they are controlled to a high degree.

"Nothing compares to the race weekend, you know that. I mean, we have to go through and we have to do it, but I'm not worried at all about this.

"I have absolutely no doubt that he will be able to perform, and to perform soon. And, last year, I think that Carlos was P8 or P9 in free practice and he won the race."

There’s a flicker of familiarity for Hamilton, though. Vasseur reckons Ferrari’s setup shares DNA with what the 40-year-old knew at Mercedes, but with its own quirks.

"I'm really convinced that we have something very similar to Mercedes, but at the end of the day, perhaps not with the same name or the same way to use them."

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• Hamilton: Ferrari success hinges on 'respect and trust'

It’s like moving into a house that looks like your old one—same layout, different furniture. Buttons might do the same job, but they’re labeled differently, operated with a twist.

For a driver of Hamilton’s caliber, with seven championships under his belt, it’s a puzzle he’s more than capable of solving—just not overnight.

Eyes on the Horizon

Vasseur’s cool-headed approach comes with a hefty dose of optimism.

"I have absolutely no doubt that he will be able to perform, and to perform soon,” he said. “And, last year, I think that Carlos was P8 or P9 in free practice and he won the race."

He’s got a point – Sainz turned a middling practice into a Melbourne victory in 2024, proof that early stumbles don’t dictate the story’s end.

For Hamilton, 2025 is a year to sync up with Ferrari, to fine-tune his craft in red. But the real prize glimmers on the 2026 horizon, when new regulations wipe the slate clean.

With a full season to gel, Hamilton can hit that reset button running, ready to chase glory and maybe even an eighth crown. Vasseur’s betting on it – and he’s not blinking.

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