Hamilton, who made a sensational switch from Mercedes to Ferrari this season, finished seventh in Jeddah \u2014 a performance that fell well short of expectations and was further underlined by team-mate Charles Leclerc\u2019s podium finish. The Monegasque qualified fourth and secured Ferrari\u2019s first Grand Prix podium of the year with a strong drive to third.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hamilton\u2019s reaction after the race was sombre. Calling the outing \u201chorrible\u201d, the 40-year-old admitted the rest of his season \u201cis going to be painful\u201d \u2014 a brutally honest self-assessment of what has so far been an underwhelming stint in red.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But Vasseur, visibly irritated by what he saw as overblown media scrutiny, was quick to stand by his marquee signing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI will be 2000 percent behind him,\u201d Vasseur told reporters. \u201cI will give him support and we will start from tomorrow morning to try to find solutions and reasons and to work on it early in the morning.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite Hamilton\u2019s lack of results \u2014 aside from a Sprint win in China, he has yet to finish higher than sixth in a full-length race \u2014 Vasseur remains convinced that the underlying pace is there.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe potential is there for sure,\u201d he stressed. \u201cWe just have to adjust the balance. Collectively \u2014 Lewis and us \u2014 we are struggling with how the car is working the tyres. But this isn\u2019t a crisis.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Frenchman\u2019s tone quickly shifted from calm analysis to frustration when further questioned about Hamilton\u2019s form slump.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not dramatically,\u201d he shot back. \u201cWe\u2019ve done five races so far. I know you want a big headline tomorrow \u2014 \u2018Fred said this\u2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, we are in competition. You have ups and downs. When we\u2019re up, we\u2019re not world champions. When we\u2019re down, we\u2019re not nowhere. It\u2019s just a competition.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Vasseur also drew attention to how Hamilton\u2019s performance was being dissected differently compared to that of reigning world champion Max Verstappen. The Red Bull ace struggled to sixth in Bahrain but bounced back with pole and a P2 finish behind Oscar Piastri in Jeddah.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI\u2019m not sure you drew the same conclusion when Max was seventh,\u201d Vasseur pointed out. \u201cThe competition is so tight \u2014 a couple of tenths between 10 cars. Max won in Japan but finished 30 seconds behind Piastri in Bahrain. This is the nature of modern Formula 1.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe just have to stay calm. I don\u2019t care what conclusions you want to draw. At Ferrari, we\u2019re staying focused \u2014 hundredths of seconds at a time.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hamilton has been open about the challenges of adapting to a new car and environment after 12 years at Mercedes. The Ferrari SF-25, while quick in Leclerc\u2019s hands, appears to be an enigma for Hamilton, especially in terms of tyre management and qualifying balance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Still, Vasseur rejected any suggestion that this season is simply a transition period for the British driver.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a transitional time,\u201d he said firmly. \u201cOf course he\u2019s down. When your teammate is on the podium and you\u2019re not, it hurts. But honestly, I take it as a positive. If he wasn\u2019t upset by this, that would be a bigger problem.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a competitor. He wants to win. That frustration shows he\u2019s still hungry \u2014 and that\u2019s exactly the kind of driver I want in the team.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With five rounds completed, Hamilton finds himself 68 points adrift of championship leader Oscar Piastri and already facing a mountain to climb. Ferrari, however, remain second in the Constructors\u2019 standings behind McLaren, thanks largely to Leclerc\u2019s consistency and a strong haul of Sprint points.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
While questions continue to swirl around Hamilton\u2019s future competitiveness at Ferrari, Vasseur\u2019s public show of support \u2014 expletives and all \u2014 makes it clear the team is not panicking. Not yet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With five rounds completed, Hamilton finds himself 68 points adrift of championship leader Oscar Piastri and already facing a mountain to climb. Ferrari, however, remain second in the Constructors\u2019 standings behind McLaren, thanks largely to Leclerc\u2019s consistency and a strong haul of Sprint points.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> LIVE Cricket Score<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n