Matteo Bobbi explains communication gaps in Ferrari between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Matteo Bobbi discussed ongoing communication challenges inside the Ferrari garage.

After the United States Grand Prix qualifying, Matteo Bobbi once again highlighted the misunderstandings present within Ferrari between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The session ended positively for Ferrari, with Leclerc in third and Hamilton in fifth — a strong result considering how the weekend started. However, Bobbi pointed out a ‘negative’ aspect related to communication differences within the garage between the two drivers.

Communication differences under the spotlight

Since the start of the season, Ferrari’s communication style has faced criticism, and this was evident again in Austin. The Ferrari drivers have repeatedly expressed differing opinions in interviews, sometimes affecting the Scuderia. Matteo Bobbi elaborated on these differences during a Sky Sport F1 interview after qualifying:

“There is a certain communication block at Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton is in sync with Fred Vasseur, and both consistently discuss procedures, execution, and tire temperatures. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc rarely talks about procedures and focuses almost exclusively on the car, whether it is performing well or poorly. The drivers themselves demonstrate these two approaches. You can see Hamilton always emphasizing the importance of the work in the garage. He keeps hammering on that theme.”

Different personalities and career stages

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have fundamentally different personalities and are at different stages of their careers. The Briton has just joined Ferrari and has experienced one of the most challenging phases of his career. The adaptation has been, in many ways, traumatic, and for most of the season, he struggled to find a connection with the car. Now, he is unlocking his potential and can evaluate the car and the surrounding work comprehensively.

Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, is in his seventh year with Ferrari and is known as a more instinctive and self-critical driver. When he makes a mistake, he tends to blame himself, keeping the focus on his own performance. He rarely discusses execution or procedural details, concentrating instead on the sensations provided by the car and how he managed it. As a result, the two drivers have completely different perspectives on the track, aside from any communication issues that may still need to be addressed within the team.