Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said Lewis Hamilton heading to the team was not just about “pure performance”, as he heads to Maranello.

Vasseur explained it will be much more than Hamilton’s outright pace that comes to Ferrari next season, with his seven Drivers’ titles and 105 race victories to boot, which can help the Scuderia moving forward.

Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton move about more than ‘pure performance’

Additional reporting by Pablo Hidalgo

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari becomes official in the new year but it has been in the offing since early 2024, with the surprise announcement that he would be leaving Mercedes after a 12-season stint that saw him win six of his seven championships to date.

Vasseur, who worked with Hamilton while he was a GP2 driver, explained his move to Ferrari will bring more than just his speed, but his experience of being in a winning team along with knowledge that he hopes he will be able to add to Ferrari’s arsenal next season.

“As far as Lewis is concerned, it’s not just a matter of speed, of pure performance,” Vasseur explained to Autosprint.

“It will bring the experience of a seven-time champion who has worked in top teams.

“It’s very good for a team to have someone who brings different experiences, especially if they’re at the level of Lewis.

“We need to have the right approach and take advantage of his experiences. It’s always important to try and learn from outsiders, whether it’s Hamilton or someone else.

“I know Hamilton very well, I know his motives, his way of working. I don’t want to make comparisons with other drivers, but I’m convinced that it will fit perfectly into our system.”

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The line-up of Hamilton and Charles Leclerc is one that neutrals will be looking at as one of the most highly-anticipated team-mate battles of the 2025 season, even more so if both Ferrari drivers end up in a title battle.

Vasseur will not allow the additional media attention of the sport’s most successful team signing its most statistically successful driver divert from their main objective, however.

“Yes, there will be a lot of focus around us, but that should not distract us from our sole goal which is to win,” he added.

“We are not concerned about having more pressure than there is today and, for my part, I am constantly under scrutiny and trying to improve myself.

“I’m never happy, I put myself under pressure. Even in the minor categories, you take on big responsibilities, since the quality of a choice can mean death or the fortunes of the team.

“Because it is only the results obtained on Sunday that make a difference in terms of survival, not only from the sporting point of view, as far as the maintenance of staff jobs.

“We live under constant pressure, and I have always had a lot of pressure in the last 35 years.

“As time goes by, I am less emotional and this helps me to manage situations better.”

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