Ferrari criticism ‘disrespectful' and harming team's chances
Lewis Hamilton's boss Fred Vasseur said disrespectful criticism of Ferrari is 'clearly hurting' their chances of fighting for the world championship.
Vasseur's position as Ferrari team principal is under scrutiny, with reports in the Italian media suggesting prior to Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix that his job is in danger.
Hamilton, who has endured a disappointing start to his Ferrari career, defended Vasseur on Thursday, insisting the Frenchman remains the right man to carry Ferrari back to the top.
And, when pressed on his own future, an animated Vasseur, in his third season in charge of the Italian giants, said: 'I have to stay calm otherwise I will be reported to the stewards.
'It is not about me, because I can manage this, but it is about the people of the team and to throw their names like this is disrespectful for them and for their family.
'I don't understand the target? Perhaps it is to give s*** to the team and in this case I don't see the point. Maybe for them it is to exist? But it is clearly hurting the team.
'And when you are fighting for the championship, every detail makes the difference, and since we have arrived here we have just been talking about this (his future). And if that is their target they have reached their goal.
'I knew when I took the position as team principal I would be exposed, but for the people in the team who are working very hard to read that they will be replaced and they are useless, it is very harsh and it should be considered that these people have family, they have wives, they have kids and it is disrespectful. And I don't want to speak about it any more.'
Hamilton is 23 points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc and 115 adrift of championship leader Oscar Piastri heading into the 10th round of the season.
Ferrari are already 197 points behind McLaren in the constructors' standings.
Ferrari's weekend got off to a rocky start when Leclerc crashed out of first practice in Montreal. The Monegasque will be unable to take part in the day's concluding session following car damage he sustained in the accident.
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