Sports · Motorsport · 1 hr ago
Vasseur tells Hamilton and Leclerc Ferrari must come first after Mexico clash
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur met Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in Sao Paulo after their first-lap clash at the Mexico Grand Prix.
Both Ferrari drivers ran wide while fighting for the lead, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen went on to win.
Vasseur said the team’s racing guidelines have not changed, but told the drivers to respect each other and put Ferrari first.
The meeting came after Hamilton criticised how Leclerc raced him and called for discussions about their battles.
Ferrari lost a chance at a one-two finish, which Vasseur said meant the team had failed collectively.
He said personal ambitions must not come before the team, its workers or its supporters.
The drivers are now focused on the next race, and Vasseur said the meeting went well and the team was turning the page.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said he reminded Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc that the team must come first after their first-lap clash at the Mexican Grand Prix.
The incident cost Ferrari the lead, and Max Verstappen went on to win while Hamilton finished second and Leclerc fourth.
Hamilton had called for talks about how hard Leclerc was racing him and said Ferrari needed clearer rules for their battles.
Vasseur said the drivers must respect each other, the team and its workers, and described the Mexico outcome as a collective failure.
The disagreement has raised questions about how Ferrari will manage two highly competitive drivers as it looks towards future championship hopes.
- Who
- Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, and drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
- What
- Vasseur said talks after the drivers’ clash in Mexico reaffirmed that Ferrari must come first. Hamilton had called for clearer rules for their battles.
- When
- The clash happened in the Mexican Grand Prix the previous Sunday. Vasseur said the talks took place on Thursday evening ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix.
- Where
- The clash took place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. The talks took place in São Paulo.
- Why
- Hamilton said discussions were needed to clarify the drivers’ rules of combat and avoid costly repeats. Vasseur said the team had to react after losing a likely chance to win in Mexico.
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari team management
Rules for driver battles
Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton called for discussions to define the rules more clearly and publicly criticised Leclerc’s racing in Mexico.
Ferrari team management
Vasseur said the existing guideline was that the drivers must respect each other and put Ferrari first.
Priorities
Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton said he was pushing for changes and was at Ferrari to win.
Ferrari team management
Vasseur said the drivers must respect the team, its workers and the Ferrari brand.
Hamilton and Leclerc both went off track on the first lap while fighting for the lead, and Verstappen went on to win.
Vasseur said he met with Hamilton and Leclerc in São Paulo to discuss the Mexico clash.
Vasseur told reporters that Ferrari must come first and that the drivers must respect each other and the team.
- Race winner
- Max Verstappen
- Hamilton’s Mexico finish
- Second
- Leclerc’s Mexico finish
- Fourth
- Ferrari staff
- 2,000-strong team, according to Vasseur
- Meeting location
- São Paulo
7 sources
Why Toto Wolff sees Ferrari clash as "déjà vu" – and why escalation may be necessary
What we learned about Ferrari’s key Hamilton/Leclerc meeting
Vasseur issues reminder to Hamilton and Leclerc in post-Mexico Ferrari talks
‘The message was clear’ - Vasseur holds Hamilton-Leclerc meeting after clash
Hamilton v Leclerc: how can Ferrari solve problem of two number one drivers?
Ferrari boss holds clear-the-air talks between Hamilton, Leclerc
What people are saying
They are two competitors with a fighting spirit for sure, but they need to have respect for each other
For sure, in this situation, we failed collectively because we were one and two and we didn't win the race at the end.
Now we turn the page and we are focused on the next one.
I’m here to win.