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Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has warned Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc that personal ambitions may have to take a back seat as the Scuderia’s 2026 title challenge develops.
Formula 1 resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix with Hamilton second in the drivers’ standings, 50 points behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc is fourth, a further 31 points adrift. Ferrari’s clearest opportunity currently appears to be the constructors’ championship, where Mercedes holds a 72-point advantage, but Vasseur says the team is prepared to act if necessary in both title battles.
“Lewis and Charles must now show even more respect and proper behaviour,” Vasseur said, via Blick. “It’s no longer about their own ambition. It’s about Ferrari. So we may have to take some unpopular measures!”
With half the season still remaining, team orders are not expected immediately. However, Ferrari could introduce them during the run-in if the points situation demands it. On the current standings, Leclerc is the driver most exposed to a support role behind Hamilton, although his recent form has made that decision less straightforward.
Leclerc has outscored Hamilton across the last three races after making a breakthrough with the car’s set-up. That has reduced the certainty surrounding Ferrari’s internal hierarchy, particularly after the gap had stood at 49 points before the British Grand Prix.
The team’s next major performance reference will be its second engine upgrade, scheduled for the Italian Grand Prix. Ferrari has already used most of its aerodynamic budget, leaving the power-unit development as an important factor in determining how strongly it can challenge Mercedes during the season’s closing phase.
Mercedes, meanwhile, is not yet prioritising Antonelli or George Russell. Russell trails Antonelli by 59 points, but the team could theoretically consider similar measures if Ferrari’s threat intensifies. Its current position is outlined in Mercedes refuses to prioritise Antonelli or Russell in 2026 title fight.
Reigning champion Lando Norris is 91 points off the lead, yet his dominant Hungary victory means he cannot be dismissed entirely. Even if he does not mount a direct title challenge, his ability to take points away from Antonelli, Hamilton and Leclerc could materially influence the final order.
An Italian press report has suggested Ferrari will decide whether team orders are needed in the coming races. For now, Vasseur’s message is clear: if the championship reaches a decisive phase, Ferrari’s collective interests will come before either driver’s individual ambitions.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.