Ferrari boss sets the record straight about Hamilton rumours

According to respected Italian journalist Leo Turrini, Ferrari president John Elkann personally contacted Hamilton over a move to the Scuderia.

Hamilton is out of contract with Mercedes at the end of F1 2023, and his future has been a hot topic throughout this season.

Earlier in the year, the Daily Mail reported that Ferrari were offering £40 million to sign Hamilton.

Ferrari’s advances appear to be futile with Hamilton set to sign a new deal with Mercedes.

• ‘Even if Ferrari pay him double, Lewis Hamilton knows things won’t go better’

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Vasseur addressed the Hamilton to Ferrari speculation.

“I talk to him at every grand prix, he raced for me twenty years ago and we're still close,” he said. “I helped him when he went to McLaren at the start of his F1 career and we talk occasionally. 

“Clearly if they see us together in the paddock a fuss comes out. I don't want to compare him to our drivers, it wouldn't make sense. But the contribution of a top driver isn't just driving, it's also technical, strategy, help in hiring an engineer. 

“And in this case, if you have Hamilton, [Max] Verstappen but also [Charles] Leclerc, it's easier. Anyone who works in F1 is passionate about racing, they like working with champions.”

It’s been a lacklustre 2023 campaign for Ferrari, picking up just three podiums in the first 12 races of the season.

Vasseur confirmed that wind tunnel development has stopped on the year’s car but they will introduce upgrades in Qatar and Austin.

"For this season we stopped development in the wind tunnel at the end of July, but we have pieces already approved and in the works that we will take to Qatar or Austin,” he explained. “For the car for 2024, we are still at the philosophical concepts. 

"The numbers say that you have to be aggressive in the project but with simulations and equations we are already at the maximum. We have to think differently, find margins thanks to which the drivers can drive without always being at the limit. 

“And in any case, the deadline for the new car is not the end of the year. We have to be ready for Bahrain in March. We still have many months ahead of us."