Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has refused to single out Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc for blame following their controversial clash at the start of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix. The incident contributed to a frustrating result for the Maranello team, which finished second with Lewis Hamilton and fourth with Charles Leclerc despite starting the race from first and third on the grid.
With Ferrari appearing to have the pace to fight for victory, Fred Vasseur was deeply disappointed by the outcome and the tensions between his two drivers. The French team principal delivered a stern message after the race, making it clear that the interests of Ferrari must come before individual ambitions.
Fred Vasseur criticises Ferrari drivers after Mexico GP clash
Speaking just minutes after the chequered flag in Mexico City, Fred Vasseur did not hide his frustration with the events that had unfolded on track.
“I find it difficult to accept because, honestly, I think it is a lack of respect. A lack of respect for the brand, for all the people who work here and for the efforts we are making,” the Ferrari team principal declared.
His comments amounted to a strong reprimand for both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc after their on-track battle compromised what had appeared to be a realistic opportunity for Ferrari to win the Grand Prix.
The disappointment was particularly significant given the improvements Ferrari had made over recent races. The team had taken important steps forward in several areas, making the missed opportunity in Mexico even more difficult to accept.
“We have made a real step forward in terms of performance. And I think throwing away a victory in this way is difficult to accept,” Fred Vasseur added.
Vasseur refuses to blame Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton
When two teammates become involved in a controversial incident, attention inevitably turns to who should be held responsible. That scrutiny is even greater at Ferrari, where the team’s enormous profile ensures that disputes between its drivers attract widespread attention.
Fred Vasseur was therefore asked directly whether Charles Leclerc was to blame for the incident, having attacked his teammate while Lewis Hamilton was leading the race. The Ferrari boss, however, was unwilling to point the finger at either driver.
“I don’t want to target anyone. I want to talk to them. Lewis was also going very wide, but I think we have to keep in mind that we represent a brand, we represent the sponsors and we have two thousand people working behind us. They are not racing simply for the sake of racing, but for the whole team.”
His response highlighted the responsibilities carried by both Ferrari drivers, beyond their individual ambitions on the circuit. The controversy has also intensified attention on Fred Vasseur’s demand for respect following the Mexico GP clash.
The incident has inevitably placed the relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc under scrutiny, particularly as Ferrari seeks to translate its improving competitiveness into stronger race results.
Ferrari’s lost Mexico GP victory adds to Vasseur’s frustration
Second and fourth places represented a disappointing return for Ferrari given its starting positions and the performance available from the car. Charles Leclerc demonstrated the team’s potential during the opening stint, when the Monegasque showed the pace needed to challenge for victory.
However, several factors prevented Ferrari from making the most of that potential. The events at the start proved especially costly, ultimately contributing to the five-second penalty handed to Charles Leclerc, which further compromised his chances.
For Fred Vasseur, the contrast between Ferrari’s qualifying performance and its final race result was particularly difficult to understand.
“When you start from P1 and P3 in Mexico, and there haven’t been any overtakes for 72 years in Mexico City, you don’t expect to finish P2 and P4! They have to keep in mind that they represent a brand!”
The Ferrari team principal’s frustration reflected the scale of the missed opportunity. The team had shown that it possessed the performance to fight at the front, yet the confrontation between its drivers and the subsequent penalty contributed to a result below expectations.
Ferrari plans Hamilton-Leclerc talks before Brazilian GP
With the next Formula 1 race approaching rapidly, Fred Vasseur intends to address the situation internally rather than allow the controversy to dominate Ferrari’s preparations.
The French manager confirmed that discussions would take place with the drivers before the team’s attention shifts to the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, which takes place later this week.
“There will be less time to talk. We will do it this evening and tomorrow morning, and then we will immediately think about Brazil, trying to achieve a better result.”
Ferrari now faces the challenge of restoring maximum cooperation between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc while maintaining the performance improvements demonstrated in recent races. With the team’s competitiveness increasing, Fred Vasseur will be determined to ensure that another opportunity to fight for victory is not lost through an internal dispute.
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