Ferrari boss offers update Lewis Hamilton...after Brit's miserable Singapore...

Ferrari boss offers update Lewis Hamilton…after Brit’s miserable Singapore…Read More.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has provided an update that Lewis Hamilton will welcome, as the Italian team has shifted its focus towards the 2025 season, with only minor upgrades planned for the remainder of 2024. Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Vasseur confirmed that Ferrari is already deep into development on next year’s car, with their final “small upgrades” set to be introduced at the upcoming race in Austin.

Vasseur elaborated on the decision, saying, “We all know we have already started the development of next year’s car. We will try to have small upgrades on the next event.” He also indicated that this will likely be the last round of upgrades for all teams on the grid, explaining, “It is going to be tight, if you look at the grid it is so tight between the top four teams and we see if it can make a difference.”

This strategic pivot will be welcome news for Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari at the end of the year after a historic 12-year stint with Mercedes. Despite recording two race wins in 2024, bringing his career total to 105, Hamilton’s time with Mercedes has been marked by inconsistency in recent seasons. While the team enjoyed a strong run before the summer break, they have struggled to maintain that momentum, and the Singapore Grand Prix exemplified those challenges.

Mercedes have fallen behind McLaren and Ferrari, who currently appear to have the fastest cars in the field, leaving Hamilton’s team, along with Red Bull, trailing behind. In Singapore, Hamilton’s weekend began on a positive note, as he managed to qualify on the second row of the grid, behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. This was an encouraging result for Hamilton, who has struggled with qualifying throughout the year. However, Mercedes’ race strategy on Sunday undermined any hopes of securing a podium finish.

The Brackley-based team opted for an aggressive strategy, starting Hamilton on soft compound tyres with the aim of overtaking Verstappen at the start. Unfortunately, Hamilton had a poor launch, falling back in the early laps. Compounding the issue, his soft tyres quickly lost optimal temperature, forcing Mercedes to pit him for hard tyres earlier than any of the other frontrunners.

In the end, Hamilton crossed the line in sixth place, two positions behind teammate George Russell. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff consoled Hamilton over the team radio after the race, saying, “Yeah Lewis, sorry. We gave you a car that was just not good enough here and obviously, we read the race wrong, but it wouldn’t have made a difference. We were just slow today.”

While Ferrari is pushing for a strong finish in the Constructors’ Championship, they are already thinking ahead to 2025, a move that aligns with Hamilton’s anticipated arrival. Ferrari sits within striking distance of second-placed Red Bull and even the championship-leading McLaren, with six races remaining in the 2024 campaign. However, with the top four teams so closely matched, Vasseur’s decision to focus on next season’s car development may pay dividends when Hamilton dons Ferrari red next year.