Vasseur dismisses Hamilton title talk despite Ferrari's Barcelona surge closing gap on Antonelli

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has refused to entertain title speculation surrounding Lewis Hamilton, even after the seven-time world champion’s victory at the Spanish Grand Prix slashed Kimi Antonelli’s championship lead by 25 points.

Hamilton had already moved up to second in the drivers’ standings following Monaco, and his win in Barcelona — combined with Antonelli’s retirement — tightened the fight at the top of the table considerably. Yet Vasseur was unmoved by the momentum shift.

“I’m not sure that I want to reply to this kind of question,” Vasseur said when asked whether Ferrari would fully commit to backing Hamilton in a title fight. “I had probably the same comments two weeks ago, that everything was a disaster — and now we are speaking about the world championship. This is the worst approach that I could have.”

The “disaster” remark was a pointed reference to how rapidly the narrative around Ferrari had changed. After Monaco, where the team had been widely tipped as favourites given the SF-26’s strength in low-speed corners, Hamilton and Charles Leclerc qualified third and fourth — behind both Antonelli and Max Verstappen. Hamilton ultimately finished second in a race where Antonelli’s Mercedes held a clear pace advantage.

Reigning champion Lando Norris had been among those expecting Ferrari to dominate Monaco. “Honestly, I think that Ferrari will be on pole next weekend in Monaco,” Norris said after the Canadian Grand Prix. “Their low-speed performance is far better than everyone else.”

Barcelona told a different story. Ferrari arrived with a significant upgrade package that appeared to close the gap to Mercedes, and Hamilton converted that improved pace into a race win. A well-timed virtual safety car also played in his favour, while Ferrari’s tyre management stood out against the field.

Despite the encouraging signs, Vasseur is cautious about reading too much into a single result, noting that Barcelona’s extreme temperatures may have been a decisive factor in Ferrari’s strong showing.

“The approach is to go to Austria exactly with the same approach that I had in Barcelona and not to think about the championship or to project yourself with 25 more wins,” Vasseur said. “I will never do it.”

The comments reflect a broader philosophy at Ferrari: avoid the kind of premature optimism that has preceded disappointment before. With the Austrian Grand Prix next on the calendar, Vasseur appears determined to keep expectations grounded — regardless of where Hamilton sits in the standings.