Vasseur admits Ferrari underestimated Hamilton's challenge as Mexico fallout continues

The interview was an Italian exclusive for Automoto.it, and Corriere dello Sport also ran the comments. Since Mexico, most of Vasseur's public remarks have been aimed at his drivers, as in our earlier report Vasseur rejects Leclerc's Mexico explanation: 'It can't be an excuse at all'. This time he turned the spotlight on Ferrari itself.

Vasseur said Hamilton's difficulties were about far more than learning a new car. "I admit that we underestimated the challenge he faced in joining a completely different team. It's not just a question of language or software. The steering wheel and the nomenclature are different too," he said. "There are so many things to digest that you end up leaving something on the table in terms of performance. When the field is this close, that can make a substantial difference in terms of position."

The Frenchman then compared Hamilton with the driver he replaced. "Lewis had spent a decade in the same team. A driver like Carlos is used to changing teams: in ten years in F1, he has raced for five teams," Vasseur explained, referring to Carlos Sainz.

Vasseur was more positive about Charles Leclerc. According to Automoto.it, he described adapting to the 2026 cars as a big challenge for everyone, Leclerc included. "After the difficult period between Miami and Barcelona, Charles made a good recovery," he said, adding that drivers had spent twenty years knowing they had to get on the throttle early, and suddenly that was no longer the case.

The engine was the other big admission. "We knew for years that we were behind the competition in terms of the engine, and that the first year of the new regulations would be difficult," Vasseur said. He also told the outlet that, looking back, he would have done practically everything differently this year.

This is not the first time Vasseur has said Ferrari misjudged Hamilton's move. In August 2025 he said: "Lewis and I, we collectively, probably underestimated the change of environment," and in July of this year, Vasseur confirmed that Hamilton would stay at Ferrari for 2027. By then Hamilton had already won in Barcelona.

In Mexico, Hamilton started from pole and Leclerc from third. Both drivers ran off track at Turns 4 and 5, and Leclerc was penalised for it, Hamilton finished second behind Max Verstappen. Both drivers have since spoken with Vasseur, and that what was said will only come out when they face the media ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix.