Lewis Hamilton has revealed he had to "be vocal" when pushing for change within the Ferrari organisation, thanking team principal Frederic Vasseur for being receptive to his suggestions.

Hamilton claimed his first victory with the Scuderia at last weekend's Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, having last won a race with his former team Mercedes in Belgium in 2024. 

The seven-time world champion is now 41 points behind Kimi Antonelli at the top of the drivers' championship standings, having finished sixth last season.

Hamilton had to be patient in his wait for success following his move to Italy, failing to even secure a podium finish throughout 24 races in 2025.

And the 41-year-old admitted he can be demanding of the team's staff, as he credited Vasseur for implementing the changes he requested ahead of 2026.

"Well, firstly, I wouldn't be in this team without Fred," Hamilton said when asked about Vasseur's influence. "Fred is the one that made it happen, so I'm incredibly grateful to him.

"I think last year was really, really tough for him to deal with. Me coming was a big shock to the system because I am very, very vocal. 

"If I see something that I don't think is right, I push very, very hard. That's at the core of who I am and I'm relentless with it.

"It's not easy to be on the receiving end of that when you're also juggling a whole organisation, you know, in a culture that is set in a certain way. 

"Ultimately, he really listened in the end, and I had to really ask for some of the changes. He enabled them to happen, which I'm forever grateful for, because this wouldn't have happened without those changes."

Hamilton's win was the first by a non-Mercedes driver this campaign, following five straight victories for Antonelli at the China, Japan, Miami, Canada and Monaco races.

But Vasseur still thinks talk of Hamilton winning a record-extending eighth F1 title, to surpass Michael Schumacher outright, is premature. 

"I'm not sure that I want to reply to this kind of question," Vasseur said. "I had probably the same comments two weeks ago, that everything was a disaster – and now we are speaking about the world championship.

"This is the worst approach that I could have. The approach is to go to Austria with exactly the same approach that I had in Barcelona and not to think about the championship or to project yourself with 25 more wins. I will never do it."

The F1 season continues with the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, with Hamilton only boasting one previous race victory at Red Bull Ring, back in 2016.