Martin Brundle has warned Ferrari that another clash between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc could happen “very soon”, despite the team’s efforts to resolve the tensions following the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix. The former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports pundit believes the competitive instincts of both Ferrari drivers make further confrontations likely, even if discussions take place before the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Ferrari was left frustrated by the events in Mexico, where Lewis Hamilton and team principal Fred Vasseur were furious after Charles Leclerc attacked his teammate at Turn 4 on the opening lap while attempting to take the lead. The Monegasque cut the circuit during the manoeuvre, earning a five-second time penalty, while the battle between the Ferrari drivers ultimately created an opportunity for Max Verstappen to intervene.
The situation became even more complicated when Max Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton and moved between the two Ferrari cars. This prevented Charles Leclerc from simply returning the position to his teammate, with the Red Bull driver eventually taking victory ahead of the British driver.
Martin Brundle warns Ferrari of another Hamilton-Leclerc clash
Following the race, Lewis Hamilton admitted he was “really pissed off” that Ferrari had missed out on what he considered an easy one-two finish. Fred Vasseur also confirmed that he intended to speak to both drivers about their latest on-track confrontation, as the team attempted to understand how another promising weekend had ended in controversy.
The incident also resulted in a five-second penalty for Charles Leclerc, with the FIA subsequently explaining why the punishment was not more severe.
Mexico was not the first occasion on which the two Ferrari teammates had fought closely on the circuit. In China, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were involved in an intense battle for third place. Later, at the Italian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc attacked his teammate at Turn 2, forcing the seven-time world champion off the track and causing him to lose positions on the opening lap.
Those previous confrontations have raised concerns about Ferrari’s ability to manage the rivalry, particularly after the similarities between the incidents at Monza and Mexico became a talking point.
Despite the prospect of further discussions within Ferrari, Martin Brundle is convinced that the disagreements are unlikely to disappear completely.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, the former Formula 1 driver explained how the battle in Mexico had compromised Ferrari’s chances and benefited Max Verstappen.
“I think that compromised them. Max was pretty fast, but I think the squabbling had a negative effect because it cost Lewis a fairly important track position relative to Max.”
How Max Verstappen benefited from Ferrari’s Mexico GP battle
Martin Brundle believes the decisive complication came when Max Verstappen positioned himself between the Ferrari drivers, removing the possibility of a straightforward exchange of positions following Charles Leclerc’s move.
“Charles should have given the position back to him, but he couldn’t because the crafty Max Verstappen slipped between the two Ferraris, as he often does, just as he had tried to do in Madrid earlier in the year. So, you know what? They’re racing drivers, and they race.”
The sequence underlined how quickly an internal battle can have consequences beyond the two drivers directly involved. What began as a contest between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton for track position ultimately allowed a rival to gain an important advantage.
Charles Leclerc subsequently explained why he did not return the position to Lewis Hamilton following their controversial opening-lap encounter.
However, Martin Brundle also acknowledged that such confrontations are an inevitable consequence of placing highly competitive individuals within the same Formula 1 team.
“Ours is a curious world, where you compete as individuals within a team environment. You’re judged as individuals. You’re rewarded as individuals. But when the adrenaline rises and a gap presents itself, as the great Ayrton Senna used to say: ‘If you no longer go for a gap that presents itself, you’re no longer a Formula 1 racing driver,’ and that’s exactly what they did.”
Martin Brundle expects Ferrari tensions to return despite talks before Brazil
With the Brazilian Grand Prix approaching, Ferrari faces another important challenge in managing the relationship between its drivers. Fred Vasseur is expected to address the latest disagreement, although Martin Brundle doubts that any assurances given after internal discussions will prevent further battles on the circuit.
The Sky Sports pundit suggested that both drivers would probably present a united front once they arrived in São Paulo, but that their competitive instincts would eventually bring them into conflict again.
“Ferrari will somehow have to manage the situation. They’ll sit down around a table and then we’ll go to Brazil. I’m leaving for São Paulo on Wednesday. We’ll all see each other there, and they’ll say: ‘Yes. We sat down, we worked everything out, we’re moving forward and it won’t happen again,’ but in reality, we know it will happen again.”
The warning comes at a delicate moment for Ferrari, with the team principal already calling for respect between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc following their latest confrontation.
For Ferrari, the challenge is not simply preventing further incidents but finding a balance between allowing both drivers to compete and ensuring their individual battles do not undermine the team’s ambitions.
Whether those discussions will produce a different approach remains to be seen. With the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos next on the calendar, Martin Brundle’s prediction could soon be put to the test.
Leave a Reply