‘Let’s calm down’ – Vasseur reacts to Hamilton’s 'horrendous weekend' Las Vegas Grand Prix comments

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur has stated "let's calm down" following comments made by Lewis Hamilton after a difficult Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend.

The Scuderia took home a double points finish after a dry 50-lap race on the streets of Las Vegas, but only after a difficult Qualifying session in wet and treacherous conditions.

Charles Leclerc could only line-up ninth on the grid, while Hamilton recorded his worst-ever Formula 1 Qualifying performance by finishing 20th and last.

Leclerc was able to recover to fourth and Hamilton eighth in the race, both gaining two positions post-race due to McLaren's double disqualification, but Hamilton stated afterwards that it was a "horrendous weekend, another one just to add to the list."

When asked about the comments, Vasseur stated he could understand Hamilton's frustrations during a season where the seven-time World Champion has yet to finish on the podium in a Grand Prix.

"I think the issue is you start from P20 and for sure it will be difficult but, at the end of the day, I think that was a decent first part of the race, [but] we struggled a little bit more with the medium [in the second stint]," said Vasseur.

"Let's calm down. To jump out of the car and to make the first comment it's always a bit too much and it's this case after the game."

He added: "I can understand the reaction from Lewis just after the race, but we have to calm down to this case and to be focused on the next two [races].

"The next two we will be back and keep in mind that Lewis was there in FP1 and FP2 with a pace that was good.

"We have to build up the weekend like this and for sure to start from 20th is not the best way for the rest of the season."

Ferrari remain fourth in the Constructors' Championship, 53 and 13 points behind Mercedes and Red Bull respectively with just two Grands Prix and one Sprint remaining this term.

Vasseur added that it was important for the team to perform well in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to end the season, regardless of the championship permutations.

"For sure you always want to do a better job. It's a DNA of the racing team and I think if you go super great today, except probably Max [Verstappen], everybody would have loved to do a better job," he said.

"I think that it's true for us, it's true for the team, it's true for Charles, it's true for Lewis, and we want to get more.

"But the only way to get more is to work harder and to come back next week with more determination more focus and to try to avoid mistakes and to develop the car. It's one thing that we have to change."