In a candid aftermath of the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur staunchly defended Lewis Hamilton, pushing back against the seven-time world champion’s own harsh self-assessment. Hamilton, visibly frustrated after being eliminated in Q2, had branded himself “useless” and suggested Ferrari should consider a driver change. However, Vasseur presented a more nuanced perspective, highlighting the razor-thin margins that characterized the intensely competitive session at the Hungaroring.
Lewis Hamilton’s early exit from the second round of qualifying was a stark contrast to his teammate Charles Leclerc, who impressively snatched pole position. While Hamilton could only manage a 12th place grid slot, his dejection was palpable, fueling his blunt self-criticism. This moment encapsulated the high-stakes pressure and unforgiving nature of Formula 1 Qualifying, where mere hundredths of a second can dictate a driver’s fate.
Fred Vasseur, however, refused to lay the blame solely on Hamilton’s shoulders. The Ferrari F1 boss emphasized that the session was incredibly tight, with only a handful of tenths separating multiple cars on the grid. He asserted that such fine margins meant even minor errors or sub-optimal execution could result in significant drops down the order, making Hamilton’s experience a learning opportunity for the entire team.
Earlier in the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, Lewis Hamilton had openly discussed the ongoing challenges of fully integrating with the Ferrari F1 team and expressed a longing for the upcoming summer break to regroup. His comments underscored the mental and physical toll of a demanding season, perhaps contributing to his forthright appraisal of his own performance in qualifying.
Speaking to the media, Fred Vasseur balanced his praise for Charles Leclerc’s exceptional 27th career pole with words of motivation and support for Lewis Hamilton. Leclerc’s pole, Vasseur noted, was one of the hardest they had achieved, further illustrating the competitive environment and the team’s persistent struggles to get the tyres into the optimal operating window.
Leclerc himself elaborated on the sudden and significant changes in track conditions and weather between Q2 and Q3, which impacted the overall pace of the field. While Leclerc successfully navigated these shifts to secure pole, Hamilton was unable to progress, missing out by a mere few hundredths of a second. Vasseur specifically highlighted the difficulty of managing the out-lap effectively in such fluctuating conditions as a key factor.
Looking ahead to the main event, Fred Vasseur conveyed confidence in Ferrari F1’s race pace simulation data. He stated that the Prancing Horse’s long-run performance appeared comparable to that of their rivals, including the McLaren duo, suggesting a stronger potential for the race itself than their qualifying results might indicate for Hamilton.
With Charles Leclerc starting from a commanding pole position, Ferrari holds a significant advantage at the front of the grid. The crucial question remains whether Lewis Hamilton, starting from 12th, will be able to harness Ferrari F1’s race pace and fight his way back up through the field to secure valuable points in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
