Fred Vasseur confirms talks with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc after Mexico City clash

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur confirmed he held talks with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc following their on-track battle during the opening lap of the Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Vasseur said the discussion focused on clarifying positions and expectations after the incident, in which Leclerc received a five-second penalty related to contact involving his team mate Hamilton and Ferrari ultimately missed a potential one-two finish.

Speaking during Friday’s Team Representatives’ press conference, Vasseur said he and the two drivers met the previous evening. “We spoke yesterday evening because I had to fly back to Europe between the two races,” he explained, adding that it “went well” and allowed him to “clarify my position and their positions.” Vasseur said the team would “turn the page” and shift attention to the next race.

Vasseur acknowledged that frustration may be building for two drivers who start weekends side by side and who have experienced “an accumulation of incidents.” He stressed that the core expectations do not change: “At the end of the day, the guidelines are always the same. They need to respect each other. They’re two competitors with a fighting spirit, but they need to respect one another.” He also framed the interaction as part of respecting the broader Ferrari structure, including the team members working both at the track and at the company facilities.

In Vasseur’s account, the most important takeaway from the meeting was that Ferrari’s brand and internal priorities come first. He said the penalty-laden outcome in Mexico left Ferrari collectively disappointed after a strong opportunity to convert results into victory. “We failed collectively because we were one-two and didn’t win the race in the end,” Vasseur said, adding that the meeting’s conclusion was “clear.” He described it as a reminder that “Ferrari comes first, for the brand, for the employees and for the Tifosi.”

When asked whether handling two closely matched and highly motivated drivers is particularly challenging, Vasseur pointed to Ferrari’s recent competitiveness and results as the context for ongoing management. He said Ferrari has been among the front-running cars for “four or five races in a row,” citing consecutive strong point-scoring form around the timeframe after Monza and Madrid. He also characterized the “downside of the system” as the fact that both drivers want to win, which increases the potential for tensions, while noting that Ferrari must manage it because the team has “two competitive guys starting each weekend next to each other.”

Vasseur said he was “P2 today” and that the situation is part of an on-going balancing act within the team lineup—describing both positives and negatives. He said he would “deal with the negatives,” while emphasizing that Ferrari remains focused on control and performance as the season progresses.

On Hamilton and Leclerc’s relationship, Vasseur said he is not asking them to be “best friends.” He responded that Ferrari cannot and should not micromanage personal dynamics, but must ensure professional conduct. “I’m not asking them to be best friends. I think that would probably even be a bit negative. I’m just asking them to act and work as professionals, and that’s it.” Vasseur also said he would keep his direct discussion with Hamilton private, telling reporters he was “clear with Lewis” and would “keep that between Lewis and myself.”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff also commented on the situation, comparing it to Hamilton’s earlier rivalry with Nico Rosberg during their time together at Mercedes. Wolff said the dynamic can produce “edges” when two strong drivers race for victories, and that it can be difficult to manage under media scrutiny when cars are battling near the front. He said that in his past experience, “sometimes it needs a really tough incident to make a point,” adding that the key message is respect for the team, the workforce behind the operation, and the brand those employees represent.

The remarks place Ferrari’s driver management message in the foreground ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with Vasseur explicitly linking the post-Mexico discussion to teamwork expectations, respect, and the principle that Ferrari’s interests remain the priority when deciding how drivers should behave as competitors within the same team.