Lewis Hamilton backs Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur amid exit reports - ESPN

MONTREAL — Lewis Hamilton declared Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur «the person to take us to the top» amid fresh reports the team is considering sacking him.

Italian publication Corriere della Sera reported on Wednesday that Vasseur is on increasingly thin ice after an «unsatisfactory» start to 2025.

The report suggested that Antonello Coletta, who has guided Ferrari's endurance team to back-to-back Le Mans 24 Hours victories, has been tipped as a potential replacement.

When asked by ESPN about the report, a Ferrari spokesperson said: «Not even worth commenting [on].»

Hamilton joined Ferrari from Mercedes and has previously spoken about the role Vasseur played in convincing him to join.

Asked about the reports ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix on Thursday, Hamilton threw his full backing behind Ferrari's under-pressure boss.

«It's definitely not nice to hear that there's stories like that that are out there,» Hamilton said. «Firstly, I love working with Fred. Fred is the main reason I'm in this team, and got the opportunity to be here, for which I'm forever grateful for.

»And we're in this together. We're working hard in the background. Things aren't perfect. I'm here to work with the team, but also with Fred. I want Fred here. I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top.

«And so that's that. So it's all, it's ultimately, it's nonsense what people have written. Most people don't know what's going on in the background. And, and it isn't all easy.»

On a potential exit, he added: «I don't think that's on the cards, as far as I'm aware. That's certainly not something that I would be supportive of. I'm here to win with Fred. He has my full support.»

Bar a sprint race victory in China, Hamilton has not yet