Hamilton Denies Report of Demanding Ferrari Staff Member's Dismissal

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has denied a report that he demanded the sacking of a Ferrari staff member. The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that Hamilton, 41, had requested an employee be replaced, also suggesting a strained relationship between Hamilton and team principal Fred Vasseur.

In a statement posted on Instagram, Hamilton refuted these claims. "I’ve seen some of the stories that have gone out and I want to clear it up here. I’ve never asked for anyone on my team to be replaced," he wrote. "Everyone I work with works hard every day, and their dedication is what moves us forward."

He added, "I always try to empower and lift people to be the best versions of themselves or at least see the best in themselves. I may not always achieve that but it’s my intention and what I’m here to do. We all work together and that will continue."

Hamilton also shared a photograph of himself with Ferrari staff members.

The report emerged following a tense Spanish Grand Prix weekend. During practice, Hamilton crashed into barriers after reportedly defying an engineer's instructions to stop the car. The collision caused significant damage to the car's front wing, and Hamilton was told to leave the vehicle for recovery, but he reversed it out of the barriers himself before continuing with a puncture.

Prior to the Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton was involved in an on-track incident with teammate Charles Leclerc at the Italian Grand Prix. Hamilton was squeezed off track by Leclerc, prompting Hamilton to complain over team radio. Leclerc later retired from the race in an unrelated incident.

Following the clash with Leclerc, Hamilton expressed concerns about the team's rules of engagement, stating in a message to Fred Vasseur, "Here there are no rules. And that’s something that needs to change. When I was at Mercedes we had written rules of engagement. And we never had it too bad."

However, Hamilton later revealed that he and Leclerc had held direct discussions about the incident. "What is great is that there was no shying away from having a discussion. We sat face to face, just him (Charles) and me, and talked about it and we were both honest and open and then we quashed it and moved on," Hamilton said. "That shows maturity from him and it is healthy. It is a relationship we have built over time."

He also confirmed that he had spoken with Vasseur. "I spoke to Fred (Vasseur, Ferrari's team principal) on Monday and we had clearing out discussions. Naturally we are going to have different opinions, but we come together to find a way forward and that is the positive of where we have got to over the past 15 months, when we can have really great communication internally and same with me and Charles."