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Lewis Hamilton Channels Michael Schumacher in Fierce Ferrari Loyalty Standoff

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 11:55 AM ET

Lewis Hamilton has thrown his full support behind Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, drawing sharp parallels to Michael Schumacher’s defining show of loyalty during his early days with the Scuderia.

Back in 1996, Ferrari was deep in a rebuild. With Williams dominating the grid and Jean Todt under fire from the Italian media, Schumacher famously stepped in. His message was simple and uncompromising: “If Todt goes, I go too.”

That moment of unity helped reshape Ferrari’s future, laying the foundation for a dominant era.

Now, nearly three decades later, Hamilton is finding himself in a strikingly similar scenario.

The seven-time world champion has struggled to find consistent form in his debut season with Ferrari, while teammate Charles Leclerc has begun pulling away in both qualifying pace and race-day results. The pressure is building not just on Hamilton, but on Ferrari’s leadership.

Speculation swirled in Montreal, with some Italian outlets suggesting that Ferrari are considering letting go of Vasseur if results do not improve. But the 40-year-old Brit didn’t let the rumors fester. “It’s definitely not nice to hear that there are stories like that out there,” Hamilton said.

“Firstly, I love working with Fred. Fred’s the main reason I am in this team and got the opportunity to be here which I am forever grateful for. We’re in this together.”

“We’re working hard in the background. Things aren’t perfect but for me, I’m here to work with the team and with Fred. I want Fred here. I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top, so that’s that,” he further added.

The message was clear and reminiscent of Schumacher’s decisive tone in 1996.

Parallels between Schumacher and Hamilton's first years at Ferrari.

'The theatre recalls Michael Schumacher's first year in 1996 at Ferrari, when things didn't go as desired and Williams was overwhelmingly superior. At that time, the Italian press demanded the dismissal of Jean… pic.twitter.com/3lWwcRPO9y
— sim (@simsgazette) June 14, 2025

Though Hamilton didn’t deliver the same ultimatums, the sentiment was unmistakable: this is a long-term mission, and leadership shakeups won't be part of the solution.

Ferrari insiders say Hamilton has been actively involved in shaping the team’s future, especially in areas like car development, strategy, and driver feedback loops. Sources also confirm that the relationship between Hamilton and Vasseur remains strong and focused on long-term gains, and not short-term panic.

If history repeats itself, Hamilton’s stand behind Vasseur could mark the beginning of something truly special.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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