
Signing Formula 1’s most successful driver in Lewis Hamilton while Mercedes opted to replace him with a rookie, Fred Vasseur says he won’t comment on Mercedes’ choice but that Ferrari “needed” Hamilton.
Ferrari announced even before the first race of the 2024 campaign that they’d signed Hamilton , who would replace Carlos Sainz for the F1 2025 championship.
Two very different driver choices for Ferrari and Mercedes
But while it was initially suggested Hamilton and Sainz could make a straight swap with the Spaniard taking the Mercedes race seat, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff instead opted to put a rookie in the car in Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli, 18 years of age, was born in 2006, the year before Hamilton made his Formula 1 debut.
The Mercedes junior, labelled a “child prodigy”, joins the Formula 1 grid after a single season in Formula 2 where he finished sixth in the Drivers’ standings with two wins on the board.
Mercedes’ decision to put the Italian in the car is the complete opposite philosophy to Ferrari’s 2025 driver decision given Vasseur has instead gone with tried and test success with Hamilton’s results including seven World titles and 105 race wins.
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“I have no claim or arrogance to comment on the choices of other top teams,” the Frenchman told Autosprint when asked about the difference in Mercedes’ choice to Ferrari’s.
“I think there is no rule behind these choices, but it is necessary to do what at a specific moment is best in its own context.
“I think Hamilton is the best solution for us today, even in view of the regulatory changes of 2026.
“Formula 2 is a great preparation and Antonelli will be well prepared, as he has done many kilometers with the TPC cars. But we needed Hamilton.”
Vasseur, who took the reins at Ferrari at the start of 2023, insisted that signing Hamilton was about more than just the pace that helped the Briton to seven World titles, it’s also about the experience he gained while winning them.
“As far as Lewis is concerned, it’s not just a matter of speed, of pure performance. It will bring the experience of a seven-time champion who has worked in top teams,” he said.
“It’s very good for a team to have someone who brings different experiences, especially if they’re at the level of Lewis. We need to have the right approach and take advantage of his experiences. It’s always important to try and learn from outsiders, whether it’s Hamilton or someone else.
“I know Hamilton very well, I know his motives, his way of working. I don’t want to make comparisons with other drivers, but I’m convinced that it will fit perfectly into our system.”
Hamilton will have his first outing in a Ferrari Formula 1 car later this month, the Briton taking part in a ‘wake up’ test in the Scuderia’s 2022 F1-75.
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