Ferrari boss gives Lewis Hamilton update after reports of shock move

Hamilton was linked with a move to Ferrari – his contract at Mercedes expires at the end of the season

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has denied reports that his team have put in an offer to bring Lewis Hamilton to the team next season.

A report this week stated Hamilton has received a £40m-a-year deal to join the Scuderia from 2024, with his Mercedes contract expiring at the end of the season.

Yet Vasseur, speaking to the media ahead of this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, firmly rebuked the report.

“You know perfectly that at this stage of the season, you will have each week a different story,” he said.

“And we are not sending an offer to Lewis Hamilton. We didn’t do it.”

“We didn’t have discussions. I think every single team on the grid would like to have Hamilton at one stage. I think it would be bull**** to not say something like this.

“If I discuss with Hamilton, I discuss the last 20 years, I discussed almost every single weekend with Hamilton. I don’t want to have to stop to discuss with them because you are chasing me.”

Vasseur worked with Hamilton before the seven-time world champion was even in Formula 1, when Hamilton won the GP2 Championship in 2006.

Fred Vasseur rejected reports Ferrari want to sign Lewis Hamilton (Getty Images)

The Frenchman added that his current drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, have also been linked with moves in the past few weeks.

“I could say that two weeks ago you send Sainz to Audi, one week ago you send Leclerc to Mercedes. Now I’m alone!” he said.

Leclerc has a deal at Ferrari until the end of 2024 but has been linked with a move to Mercedes, potentially in a swap deal with Hamilton.

Hamilton has been at Mercedes since 2013, winning six of his seven world titles with the team.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and Hamilton both insist he will extend his contract with the Silver Arrows.