Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has confirmed that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have cleared the air following their recent tensions, revealing that the two drivers left a private meeting at Interlagos joking together. The discussion, held on Thursday during the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix weekend, appears to have helped restore harmony within the Maranello team after several difficult exchanges between its drivers.
Following a particularly intense battle both on track and in media interviews across the Mexican and Brazilian Grand Prix weekends, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finally sat down together to resolve their differences. Fred Vasseur, who initiated the meeting, has reassured Ferrari that the situation between the two drivers has been settled.
Fred Vasseur explains how Ferrari resolved Hamilton and Leclerc tensions
The Ferrari team principal explained that he had not relied on introducing formal, written rules of engagement to manage the relationship between his drivers. Instead, the discussion focused on common sense and the importance of putting Ferrari’s interests ahead of individual ambitions.
Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc subsequently acknowledged that they had been able to express their respective points of view and find common ground. The understanding reached during the meeting is expected to help prevent similar situations from arising again.
The approach was reminiscent of the discussions that followed the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, when Ferrari had previously needed to address disagreements between its drivers.
The latest meeting followed a period of heightened scrutiny surrounding the relationship and rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, which had become an increasingly prominent subject following the Mexican Grand Prix.
Ferrari drivers left the meeting joking together, reveals Fred Vasseur
During his customary post-event press conference, Fred Vasseur returned to the outcome of the talks, expressing satisfaction with how both drivers had responded.
As reported by AutoRacer, the Ferrari team principal explained: “Honestly, we had a good discussion. We cleared up the situation. I think it was a good result from a mindset point of view: they left my office joking together, and that’s positive. I hope it continues like this. In any case, we had a good meeting on Thursday.”
The French manager’s comments suggest that the discussions achieved their immediate objective, with both drivers leaving the meeting on considerably better terms.
Rather than imposing strict instructions on how Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc should compete against one another, Fred Vasseur has emphasised mutual understanding and the responsibility both drivers share towards Ferrari.
The encouraging outcome offers the Maranello team an opportunity to move forward after the friction that emerged between Mexico and Brazil. Whether the agreement proves lasting will depend on how the two drivers manage their rivalry in future races, but Fred Vasseur is hopeful that the positive atmosphere established during their Interlagos meeting will continue.
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