Vasseur not concerned about Hamilton's 'lack of pace'

Lewis Hamilton's struggles at Mercedes are not worrying his future employers Ferrari, according to team boss Fred Vasseur.

The seven-times Formula One world champion finished only 12th in Qatar on Sunday, the 39-year-old Briton's last race before his farewell to Mercedes in the Abu Dhabi season-ender this weekend.

He also finished 10th in Brazil last month, and 11th in the Saturday sprint there.

Asked after the race at Lusail if he was worried about Hamilton's form going into next year, Ferrari's Vasseur replied: “Not at all. I have a look at the 50 laps that he did in Vegas, starting in P10 [10th place], finishing on the gearbox of Russell, I'm not worried at all.”

Hamilton finished second in a Mercedes one-two with winner George Russell, who started on pole position, in Las Vegas on November 24.

Hamilton collected two penalties on Sunday — a five-second one for a false start and the other a drive-through for speeding in the pit lane — as well as a puncture.

At one point, clearly fed up, he sought to retire the car, but his race engineer refused the request because the drive-through penalty would have been carried over to Abu Dhabi if left unserved.

The Briton, who turns 40 in January, has been out-qualified 18-5 by Russell this season and 5-1 in the sprints, but has also won two grands prix.

“I know I've still got it,” Hamilton said on Saturday. “It's just the car won't go faster. But I definitely know I've got it. It is not a question in my mind.”

On Sunday he was prepared for one last push.

“I’m still standing: it’s not how you fall, it’s how you get back up, so I’ll get back up tomorrow and give it another shot next week,” he said.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff rejected any suggestion Hamilton was losing his speed.

“I'm certain that it's not true. It's just this generation of cars, particularly how the car is now,” said the Austrian. “He's a late braker, he carries a lot of speed on the entry to the corner, and the car doesn't take it.”