Formula One F1 - Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - March 16, 2023 Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix REUTERS/Rula Rouhana/File Photo
(Reuters) - The signing of seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton for 2025 represents a huge opportunity for Ferrari and also a challenge, team boss Fred Vasseur said on Tuesday.
Hamilton, 39, is the sport's most successful driver with a record 103 wins.
Ferrari are the most successful team as well as the oldest and most glamorous but have not won an F1 championship since 2008.
Commenting for the first time on the deal announced on Feb. 1, Vasseur told reporters at the launch of Ferrari's new car that it also removed a distraction as the driver 'silly season' picks up speed.
"A huge opportunity for the team, for sure," he said. "We are sure that he will bring us a decent step for the future and it will be a good challenge for everybody."
Vasseur, who has been close to Hamilton since the Briton raced for him in junior series, said Ferrari wanted to focus on 2024 and that was also why the announcement came so early.
Hamilton will replace Carlos Sainz at the team and Vasseur said he was convinced the Spaniard would remain committed to the last corner of the last lap of the season.
The Frenchman said telling Sainz of the decision was tough but the hardest call was to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, an old friend.
"As you can imagine it was not the easiest call of my life," he said of the conversation with Sainz. "One of the most difficult was the one with Toto."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Clare Fallon)
