Vasseur warns Hamilton and Leclerc to respect Ferrari

Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur has reminded Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc that their battles must not come at the team’s expense, after their fight in Mexico City helped turn a possible one-two into third and fourth place.

The pair raced without team orders at the Mexico City Grand Prix, but both went deep at Turn 3. Max Verstappen moved into second, while Leclerc received a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Verstappen then took the lead after the pit stops and held on to win.

Vasseur says Ferrari’s interests must come first

Vasseur met with both drivers after the race to discuss what happened. He said the conversation had clarified where each stood, and described the outcome in Mexico as a collective failure: Ferrari had been running first and second but did not win.

The team principal said repeated close starts and recent incidents had added to frustration between his drivers. He accepts that both are competitive and want to win, but says they must respect each other—and the people who work for Ferrari, both at the circuit and back at the factory.

The Mexico episode followed another costly clash at Monza, where the Ferraris made contact in the second corner. Leclerc has previously pushed back against the rivalry narrative after that incident, in a look at the Monza clash.

Strong driver pairing brings both gains and risks

Vasseur said Ferrari’s close pairing has helped the team reach second place, while also creating a challenge to manage. He pointed to a run of strong results and said the drivers’ desire to win can intensify tensions when they start alongside one another.

He has also spoken privately with Hamilton about the Briton’s concerns over the team’s strategy. Vasseur said he would keep that discussion between them. His expectation, he explained, is not that the drivers become friends, but that they work professionally.

Toto Wolff said he could relate to Vasseur’s situation, recalling the difficult dynamic between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes. Wolff’s view was that a serious incident can make clear where the limit lies, and that respect for the team has to remain central.

With Ferrari moving on to the São Paulo Grand Prix, the Mexico result remains a pointed reminder of the cost of letting a teammate fight run too far. Readers can revisit the event’s running through our Mexico City GP live timing.