Ferrari arrived at Interlagos for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix facing two significant challenges: managing the growing tensions between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, and improving an unstable SF-26 that struggled for grip and balance during Friday practice. Team principal Fred Vasseur has confirmed that he held discussions with both drivers following their recent disagreements, making it clear that individual ambition must never come at the expense of the team’s interests.
The opening day of the São Paulo Grand Prix, the 20th round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, unfolded on two separate fronts. On the track, Ferrari struggled to find the right balance on the bumpy and particularly slippery Interlagos surface, with both drivers reporting difficulties behind the wheel. Away from the circuit, the team continued dealing with an internal situation that has attracted considerable attention following incidents and public comments in recent races. Vasseur’s remarks during the team principals’ press conference provided the clearest indication yet of how Ferrari intends to handle the situation.
Fred Vasseur confirms talks with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc over Ferrari tensions
“We had a conversation and it went well. It was good to talk, clarify my position and theirs. Now we’ve turned the page and we’re moving forward.”
Those were the words Fred Vasseur chose to describe his meeting with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, confirming that the matter had been addressed directly. It was an important step after several days in which the relationship between Ferrari’s two drivers had become one of the most widely discussed subjects in the Formula 1 paddock.
However, the French team principal was unwilling to play down what had happened or present the discussion as a mere formality. He openly acknowledged the frustration shown by both drivers while delivering an equally clear reminder about the standards of behaviour expected within Ferrari.
“The directive is always the same. We saw that there was frustration, but they have to respect each other. They are two competitive drivers, but they have to respect one another and, above all, respect the brand and the team.”
This final point is particularly significant in understanding Vasseur’s position. The problem is not that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc want to beat each other. Given their ambitions, talent and experience, it would be unreasonable to expect anything different from two drivers sharing the same garage and competing to establish themselves as Ferrari’s leading figure.
Internal competition is an integral part of Formula 1 and, when managed correctly, can even help both drivers develop and improve. The challenge lies in ensuring that this rivalry remains constructive rather than becoming a source of division within the team.
The line that must not be crossed concerns how that rivalry is expressed and handled. When the pursuit of individual performance begins to affect the relationship between team-mates, or when frustration spills into the public domain without a coordinated response, a sporting contest can quickly become an organisational problem.
That is precisely what Ferrari cannot afford, particularly at a stage of the season when technical development and planning for the future require a united working environment. The situation has already prompted discussion about potential changes to Ferrari’s internal racing rules following the Mexican Grand Prix controversy.
Fred Vasseur appears determined to prevent the situation from escalating further by reminding both drivers that representing Ferrari brings responsibilities beyond their personal ambitions. He is not asking either driver to abandon their competitive instincts, but rather to ensure that their rivalry does not undermine the wider team.
Ferrari needs to be able to rely on both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc without allowing every on-track incident to become another chapter in an increasingly public confrontation. The importance of that balance has become even more apparent following Lewis Hamilton’s recent comments about the tensions with Charles Leclerc ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix.
Fred Vasseur explains why Ferrari drivers do not need to be friends
Another revealing moment came when Fred Vasseur was asked to compare the current relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc with the partnerships both drivers had experienced earlier in their Formula 1 careers.
Recent discussions have repeatedly drawn comparisons with Charles Leclerc’s time alongside Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton’s partnership with Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes, partly because of remarks made by the seven-time world champion himself.
Vasseur, however, preferred to distance himself from those comparisons.
“You can’t compare the relationship between Carlos and Charles, or between Charles and Lewis, or between Lewis and Bottas. Probably, in terms of age and experience, Charles was a little closer to Carlos. I’m not asking them to be best friends – in fact, I think that would even be a little negative – I’m just asking them to behave and work as professionals.”
It is an important distinction. The Ferrari team principal is not attempting to manufacture a friendship between his drivers, nor does he believe they need to develop a particularly close personal relationship. His expectations are much more practical: mutual respect, cooperation and a clear understanding of the responsibilities associated with representing Ferrari.
Ultimately, that distinction should form the basis of any successful partnership between two leading Formula 1 drivers. They do not need to share the same personal preferences, outlook or temperament. What matters is their ability to work together, recognise each other’s roles and keep their competition within the boundaries of sporting fairness.
For now, the discussion appears to have produced at least an intended truce. Whether that understanding will survive the pressure of competing for important positions remains to be seen.
The circuit will provide a more meaningful test of Fred Vasseur’s approach than any public statement. Sunday’s race at Interlagos could offer an early indication of whether the two Ferrari drivers are prepared to place the interests of the team above their individual rivalry.
Ferrari SF-26 struggles with grip and balance during Brazilian GP practice
While Fred Vasseur was addressing the internal situation, Ferrari’s technical programme presented another substantial challenge. The Italian team completed a combined 110 laps across Friday’s two practice sessions, with Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Dino Beganovic all contributing to the running.
The young Swedish driver replaced Charles Leclerc during FP1, fulfilling part of the Formula 1 requirement for teams to allocate four practice sessions during the season to drivers who have competed in fewer than three Grands Prix.
Ferrari worked with all three dry-weather tyre compounds supplied by Pirelli for the Brazilian weekend – the C3, C4 and C5 – gathering information about the SF-26’s behaviour over both single flying laps and longer sequences of consecutive laps.
Conditions changed noticeably between the two sessions. FP1 took place in predominantly sunny weather, but temperatures dropped below 20°C later in the day. Around 30 minutes into FP2, light rain reached the circuit, although it did not prevent the team from continuing its planned programme.
The combination of changing temperatures, limited grip and Interlagos’s distinctive bumps made it particularly difficult to keep the tyres within their ideal operating window.
Lewis Hamilton finishes fourth in FP1 as Dino Beganovic suffers technical problem
Lewis Hamilton shared the Ferrari garage with Dino Beganovic during the opening practice session. Both drivers began their programmes on the Hard compound, while the Swedish youngster also completed a run carrying aerodynamic rakes to help Ferrari’s engineers collect additional data.
On the hardest tyres, Lewis Hamilton recorded a lap time of 1:13.246, compared with Dino Beganovic’s 1:14.357.
Switching to the Soft compound allowed the British driver to improve significantly. He set a 1:12.041 to secure fourth place in the session, providing Ferrari with an encouraging result despite the difficult track conditions.
Dino Beganovic did not use the softest compound until the closing stages of FP1. However, a technical problem with his SF-26 forced him to return to the garage earlier than planned, preventing him from improving his lap time.
The Swedish driver consequently finished 21st after completing 11 laps, while Lewis Hamilton covered 31 laps during the session.
Ferrari remains off the pace in FP2 as Hamilton takes sixth and Leclerc seventh
With Charles Leclerc returning to the cockpit for FP2, Ferrari continued its technical programme by beginning on Medium tyres before switching to the Soft compound.
Both drivers set their fastest laps on the softest available tyres. Lewis Hamilton recorded a 1:11.213 to finish sixth, while Charles Leclerc posted a 1:11.483 and ended the session seventh.
The Ferrari pair then concentrated on race simulations, completing consecutive laps on the Soft compound before switching back to the Medium tyres they had already used earlier in the session.
Lewis Hamilton completed 35 laps, while Charles Leclerc recorded 33, bringing Ferrari’s combined FP2 total to 68 laps. Alongside the 42 laps completed in FP1, the team accumulated 110 laps of running across the day.
Despite the substantial mileage, Ferrari’s overall performance was far from convincing. The positions occupied by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in FP2 highlighted the need to extract more performance over a single lap, but the more pressing concern was finding a set-up that would give both drivers greater confidence behind the wheel.
Interlagos proved particularly demanding because of its undulating layout and slippery asphalt, making it difficult for Ferrari to bring the tyres into their optimum operating range. The team will need to examine the data carefully, with the Formula 1 practice and long-run analysis providing further context for comparing practice performance and tyre behaviour.
The weather could introduce another complication. Forecasts suggested that conditions might deteriorate as the weekend progressed, increasing the importance of the information gathered during Friday’s running.
Lewis Hamilton calls for improvements after difficult Ferrari practice
The comments from Ferrari’s drivers confirmed the difficulties encountered throughout Friday, although their experiences differed between the two sessions.
Lewis Hamilton described a demanding day, particularly because of the characteristics of the Brazilian circuit and the challenge of bringing the tyres into their ideal operating window.
“It was a challenging day. The track is very bumpy and slippery, and that made it difficult to get the tyres into the right operating window. Overall, the first session went reasonably well, while the second was more complicated. We collected a lot of useful data, so tonight we’ll work together with the team to analyse it and understand where we can improve ahead of qualifying.”
His assessment reflected the difference between an encouraging FP1 result and a more difficult second session, when the SF-26 appeared less comfortable as the track conditions evolved.
Charles Leclerc plans Ferrari set-up changes ahead of São Paulo qualifying
Charles Leclerc, who only participated in FP2 after giving up his seat to Dino Beganovic in the opening session, was equally clear about the need to improve the SF-26 before qualifying.
“I only drove in the second session, which was quite complicated. The feeling in the car wasn’t what I wanted, so I’d say we have quite a lot of work to do tonight. I have some ideas about the direction we should take with the set-up, and we’ll make some changes ahead of tomorrow. We need a bit more performance to make a good step forward ahead of qualifying.”
His comments underline the importance of Ferrari’s overnight analysis. With limited running before qualifying, the engineers must identify which adjustments are most likely to improve the car’s balance without compromising its behaviour over longer runs.
Both Ferrari drivers therefore head into Saturday with work remaining, while the prospect of more unsettled weather could make the challenge even greater.
Dino Beganovic reflects on interrupted Ferrari FP1 appearance
For Dino Beganovic, the session ended earlier than expected because of the technical problem, but the opportunity to drive Ferrari’s 2026 Formula 1 car remained an important experience.
“It was nice to be back in the car and to drive on such an enjoyable circuit. The first part of the session went well and we collected some interesting data, but unfortunately a problem forced us to end our programme early and we weren’t able to complete all the laps we had planned.”
The Ferrari Driver Academy youngster also expressed his appreciation for another opportunity to work with the Formula 1 team.
“It’s always special to drive the SF-26 and be part of the team, and I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to get back on track for another free practice session. I hope I can get behind the wheel again soon.”
Ferrari faces crucial final practice and qualifying sessions at Interlagos
Ferrari must now make the most of the third and final free practice session to complete its preparations and assess the set-up changes identified during the overnight analysis.
FP3 is scheduled for Saturday at 11:30 local time in Brazil, corresponding to 15:30 in Italy, while qualifying will begin at 15:00 local time, or 19:00 in Italy. The complete 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix schedule and session start times provide the full weekend timetable.
With potentially difficult weather conditions adding another variable, Ferrari faces considerable pressure to find a more competitive set-up before the fight for grid positions begins.
Ultimately, the Italian team needs answers on two fronts at Interlagos. The SF-26 must recover performance, but the garage must also demonstrate that Fred Vasseur’s message has been understood by both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Speed remains essential in Formula 1. But when two drivers representing the same team begin to create problems for one another, the consequences can quickly extend beyond the sporting contest itself. Ferrari must ensure that its internal rivalry does not become another obstacle to overcoming its difficulties on the track.
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