Former Ferrari figure Luigi Mazzola has backed the Scuderia’s decision not to impose a clear hierarchy between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, arguing that team orders are unnecessary because the seven-time Formula 1 world champion is not sufficiently involved in the Drivers’ Championship battle. His comments have reignited an already intense debate following Ferrari’s tense Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
The atmosphere inside Ferrari was far from relaxed after the race in the Netherlands. Lewis Hamilton was frustrated after the team’s strategy left him behind Charles Leclerc, costing the British driver time and, ultimately, an opportunity to finish on the podium.
Lewis Hamilton questioned Ferrari’s lack of team orders
After the race, Lewis Hamilton made his position clear. “I’m here to win. It’s difficult to accept that at Mercedes orders are given and carried out by the drivers, and at Ferrari they’re not. I’ll talk to the team,” he said.
The incident added another chapter to the debate over how Ferrari should manage its two drivers, a subject that has become increasingly important as the 2026 season has progressed beyond its halfway point. The Dutch Grand Prix has already prompted calls for the Scuderia to establish clearer priorities, with former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley among those to have called for Ferrari to back Lewis Hamilton more clearly.
Many observers sided with the seven-time world champion after Zandvoort. However, Luigi Mazzola believes Ferrari is right to continue allowing both drivers to race without imposing significant team orders.
Luigi Mazzola backs Ferrari’s approach to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
Speaking on Race Anatomy, broadcast on Sky channel 207 after each Grand Prix, Luigi Mazzola explained why he believes introducing a hierarchy between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc would currently be the wrong decision.
“Ferrari is right not to give orders because any decision would ‘kill’ one of the two drivers,” Luigi Mazzola said. “Furthermore, the situation is fairly calm because Lewis Hamilton is not really in contention for the Drivers’ Championship, so there is no need to establish a hierarchy within the team.”
The assessment stands in contrast to the frustration expressed by Lewis Hamilton after Zandvoort. The seven-time world champion remains one of the central figures in Ferrari’s 2026 campaign, with all the latest developments available through our Lewis Hamilton Ferrari coverage.
Luigi Mazzola’s comments reignite Ferrari title debate
Luigi Mazzola’s remarks have generated considerable debate among the Tifosi. Some supporters have strongly criticised his assessment, arguing that he appears to be watching “another championship” given Lewis Hamilton’s current position in the standings.
Lewis Hamilton currently occupies second place behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli, with more than ten rounds of the championship still to be contested. That context has led critics of Luigi Mazzola’s position to question whether Ferrari can really afford to avoid establishing priorities if one of its drivers remains capable of mounting a championship challenge.
The issue has become particularly sensitive because the Dutch Grand Prix exposed differences between the drivers and the pit wall. Lewis Hamilton’s frustration over Ferrari’s handling of the race has already highlighted the team-order problem that emerged between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Zandvoort.
For Luigi Mazzola, however, making either driver subordinate to the other at this stage would risk damaging one side of the garage unnecessarily. Ferrari therefore faces a delicate decision: continue allowing Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to race on equal terms, or introduce a clearer hierarchy if the championship situation begins to demand it.
With the second half of the season now under way and Lewis Hamilton still second in the Drivers’ Championship, the debate is unlikely to disappear quickly. The latest championship positions can also be followed through the Formula 1 driver standings as the battle develops over the remaining rounds.
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