"Hamilton was a driver of mine in F3 and F2, we're talking about 20 years ago. I had been thinking about having him back in the team for some time and it all started when I went to Ferrari and he had his contract expiring at Mercedes. The planets have aligned. I think both we wanted to work together again”. These are Frederic's words Vasseur regarding the negotiation that allowed it to take place Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari starting from 2025. The Frenchman, in an exclusive interview granted to RMC Sport, explained Hamilton's desire to wear the red jersey: "Lewis he wanted to drive for Ferrari since he was a child, although I believe this is every pilot's dream".
Vasseur talks about the negotiation that brought Hamilton to Ferrari
The phase that led Hamilton to sign the contract with Ferrari it certainly wasn't easy: behind the agreement found, in fact, there are several months of negotiations, with the danger that everything could be lost at any moment. “Negotiations like that they can fail and suddenly jump. I always thought, however, that in the end everything would go well. The contracts behind such a negotiation obviously they are large and above all complex, but it was an opportunity that had to be exploited. We're talking about a unique opportunity for the team and one that I had to manage just as if we were developing the car".
“He always has the same determination”
Vasseur knows Hamilton very well. The Frenchman, in fact, had the Briton as a driver in F3 and F2. Despite the experience gained in F1, and above all the seven world titles, for Vasseur, Hamilton's desire and determination have never changed"I saw great motivation in him. We're talking about a mega-champion who always has the same great determination, despite the 103 victories he has already achieved. He knew that Ferrari could be the best solution for him and everything came together considering his last year of contract with Mercedes” concluded the Ferrari team principal.
SOURCE: Motorsport.com
