No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
TT
20

No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton's struggles at Mercedes are not giving his future employers Ferrari any concern, 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 next 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 Nov. 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."



Salah Wins Soccer Writers’ ‘Footballer of the Year’ Award in England for Record-tying 3rd Time 

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and clinching the Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and clinching the Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)
TT
20

Salah Wins Soccer Writers’ ‘Footballer of the Year’ Award in England for Record-tying 3rd Time 

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and clinching the Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and clinching the Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was voted “Footballer of the Year” in England by soccer writers for a record-tying third time Friday, while Arsenal striker Alessia Russo won the women’s award.

Salah previously won the award, handed out by the Football Writers’ Association, in 2018 and 2022. Arsenal great Thierry Henry is the only other player to have captured it three times.

The FWA’s accolade is the oldest individual soccer award in the world. It was first awarded in 1948.

The FWA said Salah won 90% of the votes cast by more than 900 members, making it the “biggest winning margin this century.” Teammate Virgil van Dijk was second and Newcastle striker Alexander Isak was third.

Salah has the most goals (28) and assists (18) in the Premier League this season and played a key role in Liverpool winning the title for the second time in five years.

Russo finished ahead of Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw and Arsenal teammate Mariona Caldentey, with FWA chair John Cross saying Russo’s performances in the Women's Champions League have helped her stand out.

Arsenal, which is second in the Women’s Super League, has reached the Champions League final after beating eight-time winner Lyon in the semifinals and will play Barcelona in the title match.