Montreal ¨C Lewis Hamilton launched a passionate defense of Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur on Thursday and said that the Frenchman was key to his move to Maranello and his hopes for future Formula One success.

Ferrari is second overall but has yet to win in nine races so far this season and there has been media speculation in Italy that Vasseur could be replaced, a suggestion the team has dismissed.

¡°It¡¯s definitely not nice to hear that there are stories like that out there,¡± seven-time world champion Hamilton said ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.

¡°Firstly, I love working with Fred. Fred¡¯s the main reason I¡¯m in this team, and I got the opportunity to be here, which I¡¯m forever grateful for. And we¡¯re in this together.

¡°Things aren¡¯t perfect, but for me, I¡¯m here to work with the team but also with Fred. I want Fred here. I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top.¡±

Hamilton said he did not think any change was on the cards, that the speculation was ¡°nonsense¡± and that he would be against it anyway because it took time to embed new people and to adjust.

¡°I¡¯m here to win with Fred, and he has my full support,¡± he added.

The Briton said he would also be racing for Ferrari for ¡°several years,¡± addressing separate speculation that he might be considering retirement.

¡°I¡¯m here for the long haul,¡± he added. ¡°There is no question where my head¡¯s at and what I¡¯m working towards achieving for this team. So there¡¯s zero doubts.¡±

Ferrari has not won a championship since the 2008 constructors¡¯ title, and Hamilton is seeking a record eighth after controversially missing out to Max Verstappen in the final race of 2021.

He joined from Mercedes in January and has yet to stand on the podium in the red overalls, although he did win a sprint race in Shanghai in March ¡ª a highlight of Ferrari¡¯s season so far.

In Spain two weeks ago, the 40-year-old finished only sixth and was overtaken by Sauber¡¯s Nico Hulkenberg, who was a surprise fifth.

Hamilton said after that race that his Ferrari was the worst it had ever been, but it emerged afterwards both he and teammate Charles Leclerc¡¯s cars had undisclosed issues that were affecting handling.

¡°It was a bit of a relief to hear that,¡± he said.