[Rumour] Hamilton said to want Ferrari crew changes; he says he never asked

A report in Italy claimed Lewis Hamilton had asked Ferrari to replace key trackside personnel and that his relationship with team principal Frédéric Vasseur was not what it had been. Two days later Hamilton denied it himself: "I have never asked for anyone to be replaced." Several outlets point out, however, that what he has been publicly demanding since Monza is a change of process, not of people.

Credibility: medium — First reported by: Daniele Sparisci of Corriere della Sera, from Madrid on 15 September. Picked up by: GPBlog, Grande Prêmio, the Associated Press, Fanpage and many others. Response: Hamilton denied asking for personnel changes on Instagram on 17 September, but said nothing about his relationship with Vasseur. In one line: the original report named no names, quoted no one on the record and relied on circumstance, and Hamilton has flatly denied its central claim.

First reported by Corriere della Sera (Daniele Sparisci). Hamilton: "I have never asked for anyone to be replaced." Data: GPBlog, AP.

What Corriere wrote, and what the world repeated

On Tuesday 15 September Corriere della Sera reported that Hamilton wanted several key figures involved in trackside operations replaced and that his relationship with Vasseur was "not what it was", according to GPBlog (Ben Hunt) and the Associated Press. The original report named no one and quoted no public remarks from Hamilton. As it spread through the international media, though, it hardened into the far more categorical line that "Hamilton demanded pit crew changes", Italian outlet formula1.it (Giuseppe Cianci) noted. f1livepulse (Simone Scanu) relayed Corriere's claim that relations had cooled after Vasseur turned down Hamilton's post-Monza request for 'written rules of engagement' between team-mates.

Hamilton's denial in full

On Thursday 17 September Hamilton wrote on Instagram from Maranello: "I've seen some reports going around and I want to be clear here. I have never asked for anyone in our team to be replaced. Everyone I work with gives their best every day, and that commitment is what moves us forward." He added: "I always try to encourage people to be the best version of themselves, or at least to see the best in themselves. I don't always succeed, but that is my intention and it's why I'm here." Grande Prêmio (Fabrício Carvalho) noted that the statement denied only the claim about personnel changes and did not address the tension with Vasseur.

Process, not people

That Hamilton has been pushing for change within the team is reported as fact. After colliding with Charles Leclerc on the opening lap at Monza he asked for written rules between team-mates, and at Zandvoort he questioned the strategy over the radio. But according to formula1.it, Hamilton said his conversations with Vasseur and Leclerc after Monza had been "really positive" and that internal communication was in good shape for the first time in 15 months. Ferrari has already moved Riccardo Adami to its academy, installed Carlo Santi as Hamilton's race engineer and hired Cedric Grosjean from McLaren – all changes approved by Vasseur, GPBlog reported. The results have not been good. According to the Associated Press, Hamilton, who retired in Madrid with a brake failure, has gone five races without a podium and is third in the drivers' championship, 101 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli. GPFans calculated that Antonelli scored 73 points across Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid to Hamilton's 22, and reported that Ferrari is preparing an October upgrade. The question is whether Saturday's race in Baku can change the mood.

[Rumour] Hamilton said to want Ferrari crew changes; he says he never asked

What Corriere wrote, and what the world repeated

Hamilton's denial in full

Process, not people

Sources

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