Hamilton, Vasseur do not read Ferrari criticism
"I try to isolate myself from all this"
Lewis Hamilton has again defended Frederic Vasseur, saying much of the criticism surrounding Ferrari is coming from people who do not know what is happening inside the team.
Speaking to Canal Plus after Malaysia, Hamilton said he personally avoids the noise.
"I don’t read anything," said the seven time world champion.
"So the press rumours have no effect on me. But I know they have a very strong hold on the rest of the team."
Hamilton said the constant negativity filters back to Ferrari’s staff through families and social media.
"When the whole team reads negative things, it feels like everything is going badly," he said.
"It feels like there’s nothing you can do. My advice? Don’t read anything that’s written."
"Because the people who write it know nothing about what’s going on in the team, since they’re not part of it."
"They know nothing about what goes on behind the factory doors."
Ferrari boss Vasseur made almost exactly the same point to Canal Plus earlier this week.
"I don’t have Instagram, I don’t have Twitter, I don’t read the press," he said.
"I try to isolate myself from all this."
"The number one problem are the 1500 people who work with me and who, when there’s something negative about me, the team, or anything else, feel the backlash in the morning."
"And I think this is enormously detrimental to the team’s results."
Hamilton nevertheless insisted Ferrari will keep pushing.
"We’ll keep working hard, giving it our all, regardless of what’s written or said," said the Briton.
"We’ll achieve the goal we’ve set for ourselves."