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FRED VASSEUR ENCOURAGES HAMILTON-LECLERC CRITICISM DESPITE ELKANN'S 'TALK LESS' DEMAND

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur is unfazed by public criticism from Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, calling their complaints a "positive dynamic" for improvement.

Fred Vasseur Encourages Hamilton-Leclerc Criticism Despite Elkann's 'Talk Less' Demand
Ferrari Boss Defends Leclerc, Hamilton Public Criticism

Ferrari's F1 boss, Fred Vasseur, isn't bothered by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton publicly criticizing the team, even though it annoyed John Elkann.

The 2025 season was a letdown for Ferrari. They didn't win any races and dropped to fourth in the championship, losing the 2024 title to McLaren on the last day.

Leclerc and Hamilton, who finished fifth and sixth in the driver standings, often showed their frustration in interviews. At the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton said it was a nightmare after a double DNF.

Ferrari chairman Elkann criticized this negativity, saying the drivers need to focus on driving and talk less, which sparked a lot of debate.

But Vasseur doesn't care much about what the drivers say publicly. What matters to him are the conversations behind the scenes.

"I don't care about the reaction on TV," Vasseur said after Ferrari finished fourth and eighth at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

What's most important is having someone come back to us, pushing the team to improve and work together to get better results.

They're emotional sometimes on the radio, and it depends on the person. You all know Charles. He's always a bit critical of himself, the team, and everyone, but it's always in a positive way.

I've known Charles for 10 or 16 years, and he's always been like this. He's always complaining about everything. But it's a positive thing that pushes us to do a better job.

It doesn't matter if we're P4, P3, or P1. Our DNA is to do a better job. I'm okay with this, and the most important thing is that they keep the same approach to the debriefing: to get a better car, a better team, and a better everything. That's how we'll improve.

Vasseur even said he encourages his drivers to criticize the team because that's how Ferrari will get back to the top when the new rules come in next year.

"I'd be upset if the drivers told me we were doing a good job," he added. When a driver sums up the season, it's about finding where we can improve. I don't want drivers telling me, 'We're doing a good job on this, this, and this.'

Their DNA and my DNA is to push the team to do a better job. So, Charles and Lewis need to come to us and push the team to the limit in every area. We can improve everywhere.

Last year, we were fighting until the last corner, and the reaction was the same. Charles said, ‘Okay guys, we have to improve in every area: the simulator, the setup, and the aero.’

This is their job and our sport. I'm not shocked when they come to me and say, 'Fred, we have to improve on this, this, this, this, and this,' because that's what we're asking them to do.

KIM KARDASHIAN AND LEWIS HAMILTON SPOTTED ON ROMANTIC EUROPEAN TOUR TOGETHER

Kim Kardashian and F1 star Lewis Hamilton are turning heads across Europe as insiders reveal Kim's "Russell Wilson" nickname.

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Kim and Lewis Hamilton spark a fly in London and Paris sightings

Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton are the latest celebrity duo making waves, and apparently, Kim’s already got a cheeky nickname for him. The two have been spotted out together in the Cotswolds, London, and Paris, just enjoying themselves and turning a few heads in the process.

Word is, Kim’s close friends are spilling a few details about this new romance. One insider claims Lewis isn’t looking to settle down right now, but Kim still has a special name for him—she calls him “her Russell Wilson”. If you know the reference, it’s a nod to NFL star Russell Wilson, who married singer Ciara after her high-profile breakup with rapper Future. Friends say Kim thinks of Lewis as a “sophisticated upgrade” from her ex, Kanye West.

Kim and Kanye—now legally known as Ye—were married from 2014 to 2021 and share four kids. Their co-parenting relationship is famously complicated.

Kim’s reportedly a bit anxious about how Kanye will react to her new thing with Lewis, considering Kanye and Lewis were friends back in the day. One source told the Mail, “They’re both cautious about Kanye’s feelings since he and Lewis go way back. Kim’s living for herself these days, but she doesn’t want to poke the bear. They know this could set Kanye off, so they’re keeping it light and just having fun for now.”

Kim and Lewis first crossed paths years ago at GQ’s 2014 Men of the Year Awards. Back then, they both showed up with their now-exes—Kim was with Ye, and Lewis was with Nicole Scherzinger.

Kanye even had Lewis over for Easter one year. He talked about it: “Lewis Hamilton’s over at my house, and we’re playing some music in my studio. We’re having Easter brunch—my wife’s family, my friends, everyone’s there. And everybody’s like, ‘What is this music?’ and I’m like, ‘It’s Lewis Hamilton’s music.’”

Since splitting from Ye, Kim’s dated Pete Davidson and moved on. Kanye’s remarried, too—this time to Australian architect Bianca Censori.

Those two have been in the headlines a lot, usually for their wild fashion choices. Things got especially wild when Bianca showed up at the Grammy Awards in a see-through gown. She arrived in a black fur coat but ditched it to reveal a sheer dress that left little to the imagination. People at the event were definitely stunned.

FERRARI SF-26 COMPLETES 121 LAPS IN HISTORIC LEWIS HAMILTON-LECLERC BARCELONA DEBUT

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed a "productive" 121-lap debut for the Ferrari SF-26 during 2026 testing in Barcelona.

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Lewis Hamilton delivers first verdict on Ferrari SF-26 after "challenging" rain

Ferrari kicked off its on-track work for the 2026 Formula One season with a steady first day at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc split driving duties in the team’s bold new car, and the whole thing felt like the start of a new chapter.

With the 2026 rules shaking up both the chassis and the power unit, Ferrari didn’t chase lap times. They zeroed in on checking systems, making sure their data lined up, and ironing out any reliability kinks. The weather threw a few curveballs—rain, some dry patches—but even so, they got through their plan and stacked up plenty of laps.

Leclerc seemed upbeat after his first taste of the new machine. He said it felt good to get back behind the wheel and start figuring out the car, even if the focus was just on systems and not raw speed. “We came here to understand how everything works,” he said. “With the weather mixed up, today was all about checks. We finished what we set out to do, and the car did what we expected. It’s a solid start and a decent base.”

Hamilton, now officially in Ferrari red, felt the same. For him, it was a busy day—lots of on-track time, plenty of new things to get used to—but he called it productive. “We got good mileage, learnt a lot, and didn’t hit any big issues. That’s what matters with so many changes coming in. This gives us a strong platform for the next few days.”

Ferrari’s Head of Track Engineering, Matteo Togninalli, stressed how important it was just to get through the day cleanly. “Given the conditions, it went well for us,” he said. Rain or not, they racked up the laps and—most importantly—avoided any real reliability problems. That’s the top priority when you’re shaking down a brand-new car and engine.

Performance talk? Still way too early for that. Right now, Ferrari’s just learning how this new car behaves, gathering data, and building up bit by bit as the days go on—keeping their focus squarely on themselves.

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