Fred Vasseur Gives Lewis Hamilton Verdict Amid Early Season Struggles

“It doesn’t matter if it’s Lewis, Charles, or Carlos Sainz last year – we’re always trying to do the best for the drivers and to find a good balance in the car for them,” Vasseur responded in Saudi Arabia.

“We’re pushing on both cars exactly the same way. I think you were all a bit more enthusiastic on Saturday evening in China – speaking about the prize-giving ceremony and all that – and we have to calm down a little bit."

“Now, it’s true that we have a new car. It’s not a carryover from last year, and we’re probably struggling a bit more to find the right balance and the right setup. But this is the life of every team on the grid."

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“Sometimes for one tenth, you can feel the balance is not a good one at all or not that bad. So let’s be focused, I’m speaking for us, on the next and the next races."

“The very positive point is we’re working as a team. The two drivers are pushing in the same direction. We have a good atmosphere in the team, and this will help us come back.”

The margins on the grid are closer than ever, as noted by all the teams who cite the final year of regulations as a crucial unifier for the pack.

Hamilton faces challenges in competing with other cars on the grid, particularly given the experience and speed of his teammate, Charles Leclerc.

This situation compels Hamilton to adapt to an entirely new car without sufficient time to fully learn and adjust.

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“But Lewis, with his own experience, is coming with huge added value for us and for Charles. He’s helping Charles too. It’s going both ways, and it’s very positive for us," Vasseur said.

“The key, I think, is the same for everybody – perhaps except McLaren because they are a step ahead – but it's quite difficult to put everything together."

“The tyres are very sensitive, and as soon as you make a mistake, you are doing a step back. We're in a pack where on the grid, you told me that qualifying was the best one for Charles, but if you look behind, with four hundredths more, you're P6 or P7."

“That means we have to stay calm, and we have to stay calm on the conclusions. I think it's true for us, but it's true for everybody."

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