Vasseur shrugs off Hamilton’s latest radio comments

While Charles Leclerc appears to be regaining confidence in Ferrari’s 2025 car, teammate Lewis Hamilton is clearly struggling — and not hiding it.

While Charles Leclerc appears to be regaining confidence in Ferrari‘s 2025 car, teammate Lewis Hamilton is clearly struggling — and not hiding it.

Team principal Frederic Vasseur had expected the FIA’s new front wing flexibility clampdown to work in Ferrari’s favour this weekend in Barcelona. So far, that prediction seems to be playing out somewhat.

Championship leader Oscar Piastri noted on Friday that Max Verstappen looked competitive and added, “Ferrari and Mercedes are also close.” Red Bull’s Helmut Marko echoed the sentiment: “Ferrari and Mercedes have closed the gap.”

Leclerc, who has endured a frustrating start to the season, was upbeat in Barcelona after finishing second in Monaco and enjoying his Ferrari in Friday’s practice sessions.

“We are not far away,” he said. “The performance is there.”

But Hamilton painted a very different picture from the other Ferrari cockpit. Frustrated over team radio, the seven-time world champion described the car as “undriveable” to his engineer Riccardo Adami.

Hamilton also questioned the FIA’s motivation behind the clampdown on flexi-wings and cast doubt on his former boss Toto Wolff‘s claim that Ferrari would benefit most.

“I have absolutely no idea what this (FIA clampdown) is supposed to achieve,” Hamilton said.

“And where Toto got that impression from — I hope he’s right.”

But Hamilton made clear he’s not enjoying his current form.

“It hasn’t been fun,” he told reporters. “It’s a beautiful place, the weather is incredible, but I wouldn’t say I’m motivating the team right now.”

Vasseur responded to Hamilton’s radio comments with understanding, suggesting the driver was simply venting in the heat of the moment.

“Hamilton is suffering,” Vasseur told Sky Italia. “But in the race simulation he was fast.

“I understand the difficulty. Maybe the comment was extreme, but it’s the adrenaline of the car. Lewis also had a very strong run on the soft tyres, so the car wasn’t as horrible as he said on the radio.”

Ferrari has a reputation for being sensitive to public criticism from within the team, but Vasseur seemed unfazed.

“The comments about the car aren’t a big deal to me,” he said. “As long as they get back in the truck and we have a constructive meeting. That’s the most important thing.

“The balance is not perfect yet, that’s true. But I think that’s true for the others too.”

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, speaking to Sky Deutschland, believes the pressure at Ferrari is rising fast.

“History has shown us that you won’t be forgiven if things don’t go well,” he said. “But if victories don’t come, it’s not the fault of one person.”