Ferrari boss reveals Lewis Hamilton confidence boost despite Dutch GP F1 DNF

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has revealed that Lewis Hamilton’s mood remained “positive” despite crashing out of the Dutch Grand Prix.

Hamilton lost control of his Ferrari in the first stint of Sunday’s race at Zandvoort.

The seven-time world champion dipped a wheel on the paint outside of Turn 3, which unsettled his car, ultimately clattering the wall on the right on the track.

It was another race without a point scored for Lewis Hamilton.

However, unlike in Hungary, Hamilton was more competitive.

He qualified just a tenth off Charles Leclerc and was pressuring George Russell for the majority of the first stint.

Despite his crash, Vasseur explained why it was still a “much more positive” weekend for Hamilton.

“We discussed after the race, it was, I would say, much more positive than the last four or five events,” Vasseur told media including Crash.net at Zandvoort.

“The fact that he was in the pace, able to fight with [George] Russell, that we recovered from the tough Friday, and so that the mood was very positive for sure.

“He lost the car for sure, but the mood was positive, because I think he can take a lot of positive of the weekend and build-up the confidence from Zandvoort.”

Vasseur praises Ferrari recovery

Vasseur was encouraged by Ferrari’s recovery during the weekend.

Ferrari looked well off the pace in Friday practice.

Leclerc was over 1.6s off Norris’ pace in FP2, and looked as if Ferrari were in a fight to make it into Q3.

Vasseur praised his team for their recovery overnight and the pace they unlocked for the grand prix.

“Honestly, we had the worst Friday of the last three years,” Vasseur added. “That if you have a look on the pace of Friday, it was very, very difficult. Nothing worked at all.

“Thanks to the job done by the engineers, but also by the drivers, because they were very cooperative, they were pushing everybody on the right way. And it was a very collaborative Friday evening, and we had a very good recovery on Saturday.

“It was not enough to fight with Merc, but we are not far away, and today we were in a good pace, in a good shape.

“I think it’s also thanks to the job done by Lewis over the weekend and by Charles, that they are part of the team within that moment, and the recovery was the good part of the weekend.”