Fred Vasseur claims Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will bring ‘mutual benefit’ to Ferrari rather than taking points off each other

Lewis Hamilton would join Ferrari after a 12-year-long stint with Mercedes.

Fred Vasseur claims Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will bring ‘mutual benefit’ to Ferrari rather than taking points off each other

Charles Leclerc with Lewis Hamilton, Fred Vassuer(in circle) via IMAGO

Even before the commencement of the 2024 season, the bombshell of Lewis Hamilton jumping ships to Ferrari was dropped on the F1 paddock. This announcement raised multiple theories regarding how team dynamics would be affected in the long run and whether Hamilton would be compatible as a teammate with Charles Leclerc. However, Fred Vasseur has discarded such conspiracies by claiming the duo to be mutually beneficial.

Lewis Hamilton is often regarded as the greatest driver to have ever graced the F1 grid. The Brit is statistically the best of all but has always eluded to win the eighth world championship. On the other hand, Mercedes has fallen off the pace in recent years, which led him to leave his prior alliance with the German marque and join Ferrari‘s camp.

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However, with two star drivers forming the lineup, experts feared the duo could get explosive and trip over each other during races.

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I don't think so, because I think you have a kind of mutual benefit into the team, and we are getting probably more points with two drivers than with one and a half.
Fred Vassuer said in an interview with Autosport

But, despite the noise, Fred Vasseur was convinced that Ferrari didn’t have to worry about such a scenario. Furthermore, he explained that their driving abilities would complement the team and help them reach higher standings in the title fight.

Fred Vasseur claimed Carlos Sainz to be extremely professional

As indicated earlier, Ferrari signed Hamilton for his services from 2025 onwards. However, this left Carlos Sainz without a seat for next year. This in turn led to fans expecting the Spaniard to hold grudges against the Italian powerhouse as he was the one to break Max Verstappen‘s winning streak twice.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Fred Vassuer, via IMAGO
Carlos Sainz and Fred Vassuer, via IMAGO

However, the Frenchman revealed that Sainz remained extremely professional despite receiving the shocking news.

The first reaction in February was ‘okay Fred, it's a tough decision, but let's push until the last corner of the last lap of the season. He is a mega professional, fully committed and he is doing a great job. I am convinced that it will stay like this until the end of 2024. The approach is very professional, very dedicated and I am really pleased with Carlos.
Fred Vassuer said in an interview with Autosport

The 55-year-old depicted how Sainz perceived this news. The 29-year-old claimed it to be a tough call but emphasized that they still had to go through the 2024 season together and promised to push till the very last lap in the SF-24.

Witnessing this determination, Vassuer admitted that the former three-time race winner was a professional athlete. However, this praise won’t be enough for Sainz as he is still battling for his future in F1 and is expected to reveal his decision around the summer break.

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