Hamilton: Nigdy nie prosiłem Ferrari o zastąpienie kogokolwiek
Italian reports had Hamilton demanding a clear-out at Ferrari. He went to Instagram to say the opposite, and named no one.
Lewis Hamilton has publicly denied Italian reports that he is pushing for personnel changes at Ferrari, amid renewed speculation about tension involving team boss Fred Vasseur.
Corriere della Sera reported this week that Hamilton had asked for changes among Ferrari's trackside staff, and suggested his relationship with Vasseur had become strained.
Hamilton did not leave it to a press officer. He answered on Instagram, on a photo featuring several members of his crew.
What Hamilton actually wrote
"I've seen some of the stories that have gone out and I want to clear it up here," he wrote.
"I've never asked for anyone on my team to be replaced. Everyone I work with works hard every day, and their dedication is what moves us forward."
His stated intention is the opposite of a clear-out.
"I always try to empower and lift people to be the best versions of themselves or at least see the best in themselves," said the seven time world champion.
"We all work together and that will continue."
As denials go it is unusually specific. He does not dispute that there is pressure at Ferrari, only that he has asked for anyone's job.
Why the story keeps growing
The denial lands after several difficult weeks. There was the Monza collision between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, the discussions about rules of engagement that followed it, and Hamilton's own remark that responsibility ultimately "starts with Fred".
That last line did most of the damage. It was accurate as a description of how a team works, and it read in print as something else entirely.
Italian journalist Giorgio Terruzzi has since claimed on the Terruzzi Racconta podcast that communication between Vasseur and Ferrari's drivers is increasingly discordant, particularly with Hamilton. He described the relationship between Vasseur and chief executive Benedetto Vigna as "practically non-existent".
None of that has been confirmed by Ferrari, and it should be read as one well connected journalist's account rather than an established fact.
What Ralf Schumacher noticed in Madrid
Ralf Schumacher also picked up on Vasseur's mood over the Madrid weekend.
"During our interview yesterday, I got the feeling that Fred Vasseur was irritated and was clearly talking about (driver) mistakes," he said on Sky Deutschland.
Schumacher believes the problem runs deeper than any single incident.
"He's annoyed that neither driver is standing behind the brand, showing any teamwork, but rather, in a way, putting themselves above the brand."
"That has to stop if you're trying to challenge Mercedes."
Which is the real issue underneath all of it. A team fighting for a championship absorbs this kind of friction. A team watching another one win does not.
Związane z: Czy Monza może okazać się punktem zwrotnym dla Vasseura?
