What happened: Lewis Hamilton defended Frederic Vasseur's leadership of Ferrari and said criticism should be directed elsewhere. He argued different structural changes are needed to lift results.
Why it matters: The backing steadies Vasseur as speculation links Christian Horner to Maranello. Ferrari trails Mercedes by 145 points after Baku, where its cars finished fourth and sixth. Hamilton's voice carries weight in any direction shift at Maranello.
By the numbers: Mercedes leads Ferrari by 145 points. Hamilton holds a 10-9 qualifying edge over Leclerc. At Baku, Leclerc took P4 and Hamilton P6 behind winner George Russell.
What to watch: Watch for Ferrari response on structure ahead of Sepang. The Sepang round tests whether backing translates to pace.
Source
- @SkySportsF1