F1 chief defends Hamilton after constant team-mate defeats

Lewis Hamilton's recent performances have been defended by a Formula 1 team principal, ahead of his move to Ferrari.

2024 represented the worst drivers' title finishing position of the seven-time champion's 18-year career.

READ MORE: Hamilton set to ditch key partner

The seven-time champion won six of his titles and 84 of his all-time leading 105 grand prix victories with Mercedes across 12 highly successful seasons, but suffered in his final few years with the team.

In 2024, Hamilton could only muster up seventh in the drivers' championship, behind team-mate George Russell who also comprehensively beat his fellow Brit across the season in qualifying.

Will Hamilton win the championship at Ferrari?

Hamilton's new team principal in 2025 will be Fred Vasseur, who previously worked with the seven-time champion during his GP2 days.

The switch to Ferrari is likely to be Hamilton's last attempt at trying to claim an unprecedented eighth world championship title, a feat that would cement his legacy as the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time.

However, questions have been asked about how Hamilton might be able to keep up with Charles Leclerc's pace, particularly if Ferrari give their two drivers a car capable of challenging for the championship.

Now, Vasseur has suggested that he is not worried at all about Hamilton's decline in level of performance throughout the 2024 season.

"Ask the question to Russell on Sunday," Vasseur told Sky Sports in reference to Hamilton overtaking his Mercedes team-mate on the final lap of the season.

"I think he had a tough moment in quali, but also I don't think that the quali of Abu Dhabi, for example, was linked to the performance of Lewis.

"He had very good races in Vegas and in Abu Dhabi. And I was never - really, never, never, never - worried about this situation.

"This situation, and I don't criticise Lewis or Mercedes, but this situation is not easy to manage, and I can understand that if it's not going very well, you can suffer in this relationship.

"He was not very well in his mind, but he was clear in Brazil about this, for example. But he also did very well in the last couple of events, so I'm not worried at all."

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