Lewis Hamilton responds to Ferrari ‘replacement’ rumors with a rare clear message
Lewis Hamilton has spoken out about reports from Italy saying he asked Ferrari to swap out some of his trackside crew, clearing things up in a straightforward Instagram post.
The rumors came from the Italian paper Corriere della Sera, which claimed Hamilton pushed Ferrari to replace members of his team. Hamilton responded by saying, “I’ve never asked for anyone on my team to be replaced.” He added, “Everyone I work with works hard every day. Their hard work is what helps us move forward. I always try to support and encourage my team to be their best. We all work together, and that won’t change.”
Hamilton, who joined Ferrari in 2025, also shared a photo of his team on Instagram Stories alongside his message.
The article also said Hamilton’s relationship with Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur had become tense after a request from Hamilton was turned down following the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Hamilton reportedly wanted clear, written rules to manage how he and teammate Charles Leclerc race each other after they clashed on track.
The disagreement happened when Hamilton accused Leclerc over team radio of pushing him off the track at Monza, but the two drivers quickly sorted things out in private talks. Afterward, Hamilton compared Ferrari unfavorably to his old team Mercedes, saying, “When I was at Mercedes we had written rules of engagement. Here, there are no rules. That probably needs to change.” He noted that talks with Vasseur had only just started, and changes take time.
Ferrari made a big change to Hamilton’s support team during the winter. Riccardo Adami, his former race engineer, moved to lead the Ferrari Driver Academy. Luca Diella and Cedric Michel-Grosjean, coming from Mercedes and McLaren, joined as trackside engineers for Ferrari’s 2026 season. Although Michel-Grosjean was expected to become Hamilton’s race engineer after a short break, Carlo Santi—who once worked with 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen—is still filling that role for now.
Ferrari’s team principal Vasseur put an end to any talk of trouble following the Monza incident. When asked why his two drivers used very different tire strategies, he explained it wasn’t to keep them apart—similar tactics were used by other teams. Vasseur firmly denied any crisis inside Ferrari, saying, “I don’t think McLaren were scared of a crash between Norris and Piastri.”
In short, Hamilton’s message is clear: he trusts and respects his team, he values working together, and any changes or challenges are being handled professionally behind the scenes.