The Formula 1 world was buzzing as Lewis Hamilton made his highly anticipated debut with Scuderia Ferrari during pre-season testing in Bahrain. While Hamilton is stepping into unfamiliar territory, one familiar face awaits him. Frederic Vasseur, his former GP2 team boss who guided him to his 2006 GP2 Championship title. Now, nearly 20 years later, the two reunite with a shared mission: bring Ferrari back to the top.
A Championship-Winning History
In 2006, Hamilton joined ART Grand Prix under Vasseur’s leadership, partnering with Alexandre Premat. While Premat was a strong contender, Hamilton’s talent was undeniable winning the GP2 title in his rookie season and securing a path to Formula 1.
Premat recalled Vasseur’s belief in Hamilton, noting that “Fred always knew Lewis had something special”. Together, Hamilton and Vasseur built a winning dynamic, leading to Hamilton’s rapid promotion to F1 with McLaren in 2007.
The Mission at Ferrari
Now in 2025, Hamilton and Vasseur find themselves reunited but this time with Ferrari’s championship hopes on their shoulders. Since joining Ferrari in 2023, Vasseur has been determined to return the team to title contention. With Hamilton’s skillset and their proven history of success, the pieces are finally falling into place.
“We did it once, we can do it again,” Vasseur reportedly told Hamilton after he signed with Ferrari. With a championship-winning bond and unwavering belief, the two now set their sights on bringing glory back to Maranello.
The question is can lightning strike twice?