Ferrari’s disappointing 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix has prompted Carlo Vanzini to call for team principal Fred Vasseur to be given complete authority over the Scuderia, while the Sky Sport F1 journalist also floated a hypothetical driver swap involving Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Analysing another difficult weekend for the Maranello team, Carlo Vanzini praised Lewis Hamilton’s spectacular start but found few other positives in a race that once again left Ferrari struggling to challenge at the front.
The Italian commentator also addressed the need to restore stability within Ferrari, arguing that Fred Vasseur must be allowed to exercise his responsibilities without outside interference. His assessment concluded with a light-hearted suggestion that Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri could exchange teams, although Carlo Vanzini made it explicitly clear that there was no truth to the idea.
Carlo Vanzini praises Lewis Hamilton’s spectacular start at the Brazilian GP
Despite Ferrari’s difficult weekend at Interlagos, Carlo Vanzini identified two developments worth taking away from the Brazilian Grand Prix: the possible reconciliation between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, and the seven-time world champion’s remarkable opening lap.
The relationship between the Ferrari teammates had attracted considerable attention following their recent disagreements, although Fred Vasseur subsequently explained how Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had resolved their differences during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.
Carlo Vanzini explained:
“The first positive I would take away is the clarification between the two drivers, assuming, of course, that it really happened and that it helped establish important foundations for the future. Then there was Lewis Hamilton’s start, because it was genuinely one for the archives. Watching it again, it almost looks like a video game. It was a spectacular, beautiful start that shows you just how hungry Lewis still is. It was one of the few genuinely exciting things about this weekend for Ferrari.”
The Sky Sport F1 journalist’s praise underlined his belief that Lewis Hamilton remains highly motivated despite Ferrari’s struggles. The British driver’s opening-lap performance stood out as one of the few encouraging moments of an otherwise frustrating weekend for the Italian team.
The movement of the Ferrari drivers through the field can also be explored through the F1 Race Position and Progression Tracker, which provides lap-by-lap running-order comparisons.
Ferrari urged to give Fred Vasseur full control and end internal interference
Beyond the performances on track, Carlo Vanzini focused on what he considers a more fundamental problem at Ferrari: the need for a clear leadership structure and an end to internal uncertainty.
The commentator argued that if Ferrari has decided to maintain its confidence in Fred Vasseur, the French team principal must be given the authority to make decisions and determine the direction of the sporting organisation.
“As for everything else, I believe the Scuderia must above all try to bring this period of internal discussions to an end and establish clarity over how the team is managed. If confidence in Fred Vasseur has been reaffirmed, then he really must be given the keys to the project. He must be the one making the decisions, setting the direction and managing the sporting organisation.”
Carlo Vanzini also called for the removal of internal turbulence and external pressures that could undermine the authority of Ferrari’s team principal.
“The internal turbulence needs to be eliminated, and above all, those pressures coming from people who are not directly involved in the sporting management must be removed. Because, in the end, it seems that everyone wants to be involved with Ferrari, that everyone feels they should have a say in the decisions, but responsibility must be entrusted to the person chosen to lead the team.”
His comments reflect the wider debate surrounding Ferrari’s management structure and the challenges of establishing a clear direction while the team attempts to return to consistent competitiveness.
“If you trust the team principal, you have to allow him to work. Otherwise, you need to have the courage to make a change, choose someone else and adopt a different strategy. You cannot continue leaving everything in a state of uncertainty.”
The question of leadership has become particularly significant amid the attention surrounding the reported internal tensions involving Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Carlo Vanzini’s argument is that Ferrari must establish a clear chain of command rather than allow uncertainty over responsibilities to continue.
Charles Leclerc for Oscar Piastri? Carlo Vanzini jokes about Ferrari-McLaren driver swap
After discussing Ferrari’s leadership problems, Carlo Vanzini offered a much more provocative suggestion concerning the team’s driver line-up.
Although he stressed that there was very little to celebrate about Ferrari’s performance in Brazil, the Sky Sport F1 commentator jokingly proposed an exchange between Charles Leclerc and McLaren driver Oscar Piastri.
“As for the rest, frankly, there is very little to salvage from this Grand Prix. A solution? We could arrange a swap between Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri, and then everyone would be happy! Lewis Hamilton could become Ferrari’s team leader, as he wants, while Charles would have the opportunity to test himself with another team. Of course, this is just talk. There is absolutely no truth to this possibility.”
The suggestion was explicitly hypothetical rather than an indication of genuine negotiations between Ferrari and McLaren. Carlo Vanzini presented it as a humorous way of addressing the questions surrounding the roles of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc within the Scuderia.
Nevertheless, the comment touches on a broader issue for Ferrari: how to manage two highly ambitious drivers while establishing a stable sporting structure. The competitive relationship between the teammates has already generated considerable discussion, including assessments of Lewis Hamilton’s psychological experience in his Ferrari battle with Charles Leclerc.
For Carlo Vanzini, however, the priority remains Ferrari’s leadership rather than any hypothetical change to its driver line-up. His assessment of the Brazilian Grand Prix combined admiration for Lewis Hamilton’s determination with a clear demand for stability, decisive management and greater authority for Fred Vasseur.
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