Fred Vasseur’s Carlos Sainz quip after Lewis Hamilton’s British GP win

Watching on as Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix, Fred Vasseur says he’d rather that confidence boost had gone to today’s Ferrari driver than next season’s.

945 days after his last Grand Prix victory, Hamilton returned to the top step of the podium having held off the late-charging Max Verstappen at Silverstone.

Lewis Hamilton silences his detractors with his British GP win

It was a welcome boost for the Mercedes driver who admitted there were times he thought “it’s never going to happen again” as his dry spell continued for two-and-a-half seasons.

The win also silenced his detractors and anyone who was pondering whether Ferrari had made the wrong call dropping Sainz in favour of signing Hamilton as Charles Leclerc’s 2025 team-mate.

But while Hamilton’s 2025 team boss Vasseur was happy for the seven-time World Champion to break his duck, he would rather it was Sainz who was celebrating the moment.

“First I would’ve been more happy to give the confidence to Carlos this weekend,” he told the media, including PlanetF1.com.

“We will have time to discuss this, but I’m happy for him because I think he deserved it. But we’ll have time to discuss Lewis next year, it’s not the topic of today.”

He added: “We have enough discussions at the moment. We’ll welcome him later.

“Now we need to regain the same momentum from the first part of the season because we’re still second in the championship and if we can get back to scoring points with both cars, I’m sure the situation can improve.”

More analysis from Lewis Hamilton’s British GP victory

👉 British GP driver ratings: No perfect 10 for Lewis Hamilton, Perez flops yet again

👉 British GP conclusions: Lewis Hamilton’s refusal, Perez v Ricciardo answer, McLaren bruised

Hamilton acknowledged that Sunday’s triumph was his last British Grand Prix win as a Mercedes driver, the P1 not only a record-breaking ninth Silverstone win but also his 150th Mercedes podium.

“Leaving on a high,” he said. “This is my last race here with this team so I wanted to win this so much for them because I love them and I appreciate them so much.”

His team boss Toto Wolff called it a “beautiful story” to wrap up his last home Grand Prix with the Silver Arrows.

“I don’t think his choice to go to Ferrari is sad, people make decisions, but we are always calm about the direction the team takes and the one the driver takes,” he said as per ScuderiaFans.com.

“We are adults and do everything to have a fast car for Lewis and George until the end of the season, but it is true that we leave Ferrari with a great driver, a superstar.

“I’m sure Ferrari will achieve a situation they’ve been hoping for.”

Read next: The tone-deaf Brad Pitt line that marred gorgeous F1 movie trailer