Ferrari “not apprehensive in any respect” over Hamilton’s not quick anymore remarks

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has mentioned he has zero considerations about Lewis Hamilton’s velocity, regardless of the troublesome finish to the Method 1 season he’s having with Mercedes.

Hamilton has struggled to extract as a lot tempo out of the W15 automobile constantly this yr as his team-mate George Russell.

The seven-time champion additionally had a torrid time on the Qatar Grand Prix as he got here dwelling twelfth after a soar begin, a puncture and a drive-through penalty for dashing within the pitlane.

Hamilton accepts that issues will not be working, for causes that he can not clarify, as he admitted that the efficiency is solely not there in the meanwhile.

On Friday in Qatar, he raised eyebrows when he mentioned: “I am undoubtedly not quick anymore.”

However whereas issues will not be clicking with Mercedes proper now, his future employer Ferrari doesn’t see something to be alarmed about.

And its group boss Vasseur, who has identified Hamilton for years, believes performances like his cost from tenth on the grid to complete second in Las Vegas spotlight simply how good he stays.

Requested if he was apprehensive about Hamilton’s remarks, Vasseur mentioned: “Under no circumstances. Take a look on the 50 laps that he did in Vegas.

“Beginning P10, ending on the gearbox of Russell, I am not apprehensive in any respect.”

Mercedes send-off

Hamilton is heading into his remaining race weekend with Mercedes in Abu Dhabi, which is bound to be an emotional send-off.

And whereas outcomes could also be laborious to get in the meanwhile, group boss Toto Wolff says that the present challenges won’t cloud the recollections of the success their title-winning partnership produced since they got here collectively in 2013.

Talking about coping with the circumstances of this season, figuring out Hamilton was leaving, Wolff mentioned: “To be trustworthy, I feel we have all of us collectively, Lewis and the group, we have accomplished job of that.

“When he took the choice in the beginning of the season to go, we knew it was going to be a bumpy yr forward, and it’s extremely regular.

“He is aware of he’s going to go some other place. We all know our future lies with Kimi [Antonelli] after which to undergo the ups and downs, and nonetheless hold it collectively between us, I feel that’s one thing we’ve achieved.

“Now you see these very dangerous races. Clearly, he wears his coronary heart on the sleeve. You categorical your feelings and that is completely allowed. It is okay.

“However nothing goes to remove 12 unimaginable years with eight constructors’ and 6 drivers’ championships. And that’s what shall be within the reminiscence.

“After subsequent Sunday, we will look again at this nice time period quite than a season of races that have been significantly dangerous. We’ll stick with the nice recollections.”