Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur held a lengthy meeting with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in São Paulo on Thursday evening, seeking to contain the growing tensions between his two drivers before their rivalry causes further damage to the team’s image. Although the French manager reiterated that neither driver would receive preferential treatment, his main objective was to ensure that their personal battle did not undermine Ferrari’s wider interests.
Before the meeting, Fred Vasseur had received clear instructions from Ferrari’s senior management in Maranello, some of them directly from John Elkann. The leadership was particularly irritated by the reputational damage caused by the escalating dispute, rather than simply the on-track incident that had triggered it. The message delivered to the drivers was unmistakable: “Ferrari first, then the drivers.”
Inside Fred Vasseur’s Ferrari meeting: Lewis Hamilton’s frustration and an unresolved rivalry
The problem extends beyond what happened between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on the opening lap of the Mexican Grand Prix. More concerning for Ferrari is how their sporting rivalry has developed into a public controversy, fuelled by comments from the seven-time Formula 1 world champion that have taken the dispute well beyond the events on the circuit.
Thursday evening’s meeting began on a relatively relaxed note. Charles Leclerc had arrived in Brazil as a new father, and Lewis Hamilton congratulated the Monegasque on the happy occasion before the discussion turned to the issues left unresolved after Mexico.
Fred Vasseur wanted to clarify his position while also listening to both drivers. However, the central objective was apparently not to establish who was right or wrong in the on-track incident. Instead, the priority was to prevent the disagreement from having further repercussions for the entire Ferrari team.
The meeting followed a virtual discussion between Fred Vasseur and Ferrari’s senior management in Maranello. The position communicated by the leadership was clear: Ferrari’s interests must come before everything else, regardless of the ambitions or tensions of either driver.
Why Ferrari will not give Lewis Hamilton priority over Charles Leclerc
Despite the growing tensions, Ferrari has no intention of changing its internal driver hierarchy. The decision is consistent with the approach already established within the team, where Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc continue to compete on equal terms.
With both drivers now fighting only for a possible second place in the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, Ferrari sees no reason to introduce preferential treatment or establish a predetermined number-one driver.
That position, however, appears less acceptable to Lewis Hamilton. The British driver believes that the championship advantage he has maintained over Charles Leclerc since the beginning of the season could justify greater priority in Ferrari’s decisions.
Lewis Hamilton would like his performances so far to be reflected in the team’s internal hierarchy, while Ferrari remains committed to treating both drivers equally. Their respective results and the development of their season-long battle can also be explored through the Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton head-to-head statistics.
Fred Vasseur attempted to bring the discussion back within those established boundaries, without introducing new hierarchies or changing Ferrari’s rules of engagement. After the debate over Ferrari’s racing rules following the Mexican Grand Prix, the team principal’s immediate concern appears to be less about the competition itself and more about the consequences it is having away from the circuit.
Charles Leclerc made the mistake on track, Lewis Hamilton off it
Charles Leclerc’s mistake came on the circuit, but Lewis Hamilton’s public comments have created another problem for Ferrari away from it.
By suggesting that Charles Leclerc has a particularly aggressive attitude towards his own team-mates, Lewis Hamilton has indirectly brought Ferrari’s management of its drivers into question. His latest accusations involving Charles Leclerc and two former Ferrari drivers have added another dimension to an already sensitive situation.
That does not necessarily mean Lewis Hamilton intends to challenge Fred Vasseur’s authority. Nevertheless, the seven-time world champion’s remarks have had a negative effect rather than serving simply as an expression of frustration. They have forced the team principal to intervene publicly in a matter he would have preferred to resolve privately, away from the spotlight.
Against that background, Fred Vasseur’s comments during Friday’s press conference were particularly significant.
“We held the meeting last night because I had to fly back to Europe between the races, but it went well. It was useful to discuss it, clarify my position and theirs, and it was a positive thing. And now we turn the page.”
However, it was the next part of his explanation that most clearly revealed the significance of the discussions held just hours earlier.
“They must have respect for each other, but above all they must respect the brand, the team, the people working at the factory and those working at the track.”
The message reinforced the concerns surrounding Fred Vasseur and John Elkann’s handling of Ferrari’s driver-management tensions. Whatever their individual ambitions, both drivers are expected to protect the interests and reputation of the organisation they represent.
John Elkann’s frustration raises questions over Lewis Hamilton’s position at Ferrari
Ferrari has now made its position clear. The question is whether both drivers will respond to that message.
The real test at Interlagos will not be limited to how Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc behave towards each other on the circuit. Their comments and conduct away from their cars will also come under scrutiny. If the public controversy continues, Fred Vasseur’s attempt to restore order could give way to a division that becomes increasingly difficult to repair.
Lewis Hamilton arrived at Maranello carrying enormous sporting and media influence, alongside the ambition of building another successful chapter in his Formula 1 career. However, the support he enjoys within Ferrari cannot be considered entirely separate from the atmosphere developing inside the team.
The seven-time world champion has already made clear his determination to express his position amid the tensions with Charles Leclerc, but the increasingly public nature of the disagreement presents a delicate challenge for Ferrari’s management.
If John Elkann is also beginning to lose patience with the consequences of this rivalry, it is reasonable to question how far Lewis Hamilton’s position will continue to receive support within Ferrari, particularly if the British driver chooses to keep his dispute with Charles Leclerc alive.
Fred Vasseur has insisted that the time has come to move on. Whether his drivers are prepared to do so may prove just as important as their performance on the track at the São Paulo Grand Prix.
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