Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur lost patience with reporters during a recent media session, abruptly telling them to “stop with this story” as questions continued about Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer change for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The tension comes after Hamilton suggested that the switch in engineers could potentially harm his championship campaign.

Hamilton’s Concern Ahead of 2026

During pre-season testing in Bahrain, Hamilton admitted that the situation surrounding his race engineer could become “detrimental” to his title hopes.

The seven-time world champion will begin the new season working with a temporary engineer before transitioning to a new long-term partner later in the year.

Ferrari recently confirmed that Hamilton will no longer work with his 2025 race engineer, Riccardo Adami, who has been reassigned to another role within the organization.

The driver is expected to eventually work with Cedric Michel-Grosjean, formerly a performance engineer at McLaren.

However, Michel-Grosjean is currently on a career break and may not join Ferrari immediately, meaning Hamilton could face another mid-season adjustment.

A Difficult First Year at Ferrari

Hamilton’s concerns come after a challenging first season with Scuderia Ferrari in 2025.

For the first time in his career, the British driver completed a full Formula 1 season without a single podium finish.

Throughout the year, several tense radio exchanges between Hamilton and Adami were broadcast during races, drawing attention from fans and analysts.

These moments fueled speculation that the working relationship between driver and engineer had become strained.

Vasseur Defends Hamilton

Despite the speculation, Vasseur insists that the situation inside Ferrari is far more stable than it appears.

Speaking to media outlets, the Ferrari boss emphasized that Hamilton remains confident and fully committed ahead of the new season.

“The collaboration between the team and Lewis on the pit wall is very good,” Vasseur explained.

He also rejected the idea that Hamilton’s comments reflected a lack of confidence.

According to Vasseur, the team’s focus is simply on continuous improvement.

“The mindset is to try to do a better job tomorrow than today,” he said.

“Please Stop With This Story”

However, as reporters continued to press him about Hamilton’s engineer situation, Vasseur’s patience ran out.

Interrupting a question mid-sentence, he firmly responded:

“Please stop with this story.”

He went on to explain that personnel changes are common across the Formula 1 paddock.

According to Vasseur, several engineers and team principals change roles every season without causing major disruptions.

Formula 1 Is About the Team

Vasseur also stressed that Formula 1 success does not depend on a single individual.

With Ferrari employing around 1,500 staff members, he believes focusing on one race engineer oversimplifies the complexity of the sport.

“The person you see on the pit wall leads a whole group of people working on the car,” he said.

“In Formula 1, it’s always about the team. It’s never about an individual.”

Pressure Builds Ahead of the New Season

With the 2026 season approaching, Ferrari faces enormous pressure to deliver stronger results.

Hamilton’s arrival was meant to mark the beginning of a new era for the historic team.

After a difficult first year, expectations remain high for the seven-time champion to return to the front of the grid.

Whether the engineer change becomes a real obstacle—or simply another storyline in the intense world of Formula 1—remains to be seen.

One thing is certain: the spotlight on Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton will only grow as the new season approaches. 🏁