Hamilton rubbishes Ferrari ‘staff shake-up’ claims in Italian media

Lewis Hamilton has put the brakes on a story circulating in the Italian media, emphatically denying claims that he has urged Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur to wield the axe among the team’s operational staff.

A report published by Corriere della Sera suggested that Hamilton had been pushing Vasseur towards a significant internal reshuffle, with several personnel changes allegedly on the seven-time world champion’s wish list.

Given Ferrari’s continuing struggle to match expectations in 2026, the story had obvious potential to add another layer of intrigue to the seven-time world champion’s relationship with the Scuderia.

Hamilton, however, was having none of it.

Taking to Instagram, the Briton moved directly to extinguish the speculation, making it clear that any suggestion he was personally demanding staff replacements was simply not coming from him.

“I've seen some of the stories that have gone out and I want to clear it up here. I've never asked for anyone on my team to be replaced,” Hamilton wrote.

That was about as unambiguous as it gets.

Hamilton throws his support behind Ferrari staff

The reports went beyond alleged personnel changes, also suggesting that relations between Hamilton and Vasseur had become increasingly strained as Ferrari continues its search for greater competitiveness.

Hamilton did not specifically address those claims about his relationship with the team principal. Instead, his response focused on the people around him and the effort they are putting into Ferrari’s campaign.

“Everyone I work with works hard every day, and their dedication is what moves us forward,” the 41-year-old continued.

Hamilton then went a step further, portraying his approach to his colleagues as one of encouragement rather than intervention from the top.

“I always try to empower and lift people to be the best versions of themselves or at least see the best in themselves,” he concluded.

The comments amount to a fairly direct rejection of the picture painted by the Italian report.

Rather than positioning himself as a driver demanding heads roll, Hamilton has presented himself as someone intent on getting the best out of the people already working alongside him.

Ferrari’s problems remain very real

That does not mean Ferrari has been short of reasons for scrutiny this season.

Hamilton suffered his first retirement of 2026 at the Spanish Grand Prix when a braking-system failure brought his race to an abrupt end, adding another unwanted setback to a campaign in which his title ambitions had already been fading.

The DNF left him 101 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, and Hamilton subsequently acknowledged that there would be “no stopping” Mercedes and the Italian driver in their charge towards the title.

Hamilton currently sits third in the championship on 191 points, with Charles Leclerc just 24 points behind his Ferrari team-mate.

Read also:

• Hamilton's titles hopes are over: ‘There’s no stopping Mercedes'

Against that backdrop, speculation about Ferrari’s internal workings is hardly surprising. But Hamilton has now drawn a clear line between legitimate questions over the team’s performance and claims that he has been demanding a purge of its personnel.

For Vasseur, the pressure to improve Ferrari remains. But if Hamilton’s latest intervention is anything to go by, the Ferrari boss will not be receiving his driver’s supposed hit list anytime soon.

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