Lewis Hamilton has identified his connection with Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur as a pivotal reason for his move to the iconic Scuderia team.
Hamilton is set to part ways with Mercedes after the ongoing season to join Ferrari under a multi-year agreement.
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The move comes as a shock to many, considering Hamilton’s long-standing affiliation with Mercedes, spanning over twenty years, and his recent contract extension with the team a few months before announcing his switch to Ferrari.
The agreement with Mercedes included an exit clause, which Hamilton utilised to seize the opportunity with Ferrari.
Reuniting with Vasseur, Hamilton will revive a successful partnership that previously led them to victories in Formula 3 and GP2 championships.
The influence of Vasseur
In discussions with the media, Hamilton expressed his enthusiasm for reuniting with Vasseur in this new venture.
“I’ve a great relationship with Fred,” said the 39-year-old. “Obviously, I raced with him in Formula 3. We had amazing success in F3 and also in GP2.
“That’s really where the foundation of our relationship started. We just always remained in touch.
“I thought that he was going to be an amazing team manager at some stage and progress to F1 but at the time, he wasn’t interested in that.
“It was really cool to see him step into the Alfa Romeo team and then when he got the job at Ferrari, I was just so happy for him.
“The stars aligned, it really wouldn’t have happened without him. So I’m really grateful and really excited about the work that he’s doing there.”
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