Lewis Hamilton Responds to Ferrari Rumors: No Demands for Changes
Lewis Hamilton has moved swiftly to shut down claims from Italy that he has demanded changes to his Ferrari trackside crew, insisting he has “never asked for anyone on my team to be replaced”.
The seven-time world champion, who joined Ferrari this season in one of the most seismic moves in recent F1 history, responded after Corriere della Sera reported that he had pushed for personnel changes and that his relationship with team principal Fred Vasseur had cooled.
Hamilton chose his own platform to answer. On Thursday, he posted a firm rebuttal on Instagram, directly addressing the rumours and backing the people around him.
“I’ve seen some of the stories that have gone out and I want to clear it up here. I’ve never asked for anyone on my team to be replaced,” he wrote.
Then came the defence of his crew.
“Everyone I work with works hard every day, and their dedication is what moves us forward.
“I always try to empower and lift people to be the best versions of themselves or at least see the best in themselves.
“I may not always achieve that but it’s my intention and that’s what I’m here to do.
“We all work together and that will continue.”
The timing of the report was no coincidence. Ferrari are in a difficult spell. The team has not stood on a grand prix podium since Spa in July, a drought that bites hard at a team built on the expectation of silverware.
The low point came at Monza. On home soil, with the tifosi filling every inch of grandstand and banking, Ferrari unravelled. Operational errors, misjudged calls, execution that fell short of the standard Hamilton demands and the Scuderia expects.
In the cockpit, Hamilton’s frustration spilled over the radio. He urged Ferrari to work together, to tighten up, to stop gifting away opportunities. Those messages, clipped and replayed, fed the narrative that a rift might be opening between driver and team.
Italian media did the rest.
Hamilton’s post reads as a direct attempt to slam that door shut. No shots at Vasseur. No hint of division. Instead, a public show of unity and a reminder that his leadership style leans on encouragement, not purges.
Ferrari still have a car to fix, a podium drought to end, and a restless fanbase to satisfy. The question now is whether this show of solidarity can hold when the pressure of a faltering season meets the expectations of Maranello.
