Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has taken swift action by holding joint crisis talks with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend. The summit was called to prevent internal on-track battles from spiralling out of control following a high-profile first-lap clash between the two star drivers at the recent Mexican Grand Prix, which cost the Maranello squad a golden opportunity for a dominant race victory.
During the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, both Hamilton and Leclerc went off-track while scrapping aggressively for the lead on lap one. The squabble opened the door for Red Bull's Max Verstappen to seize the initiative and ultimately claim victory. Hamilton finished second while Leclerc missed the podium in fourth. The seven-year world champion was visibly infuriated by how his teammate raced him, prompting demands for clear internal guidelines regarding wheel-to-wheel combat.
Vasseur expressed deep frustration over the incident, emphasizing that such on-track friction disrespects the tireless efforts of the 2,000-strong workforce back at the factory. Speaking to journalists on Thursday in Brazil, the French team boss confirmed that the air has been cleared and the team's hierarchy has been firmly re-established.
"The guidelines are always the same. They are two competitors with a fighting spirit for sure, but they need to have respect for each other," Vasseur stated. "But mainly and firstly, they need to respect the brand, the team, the people working at home, the people working on track. I think we are putting a lot of effort on this and the message was clear and will stay clear."
Addressing Hamilton's remarks that Leclerc races him harder than other rivals, Vasseur defended his Monegasque driver by highlighting his clean yet aggressive overtaking maneuvers earlier in the triple-header, such as his move in Austin. Vasseur stressed that while the fine line of racing was tested, the ultimate collective goal was compromised.
"For sure, in this situation, we failed collectively because we were one and two and we didn't win the race at the end. That means that it's clear that we failed and we have to react," Vasseur explained. "But the conclusion of the meeting yesterday evening was clear that it was a clear reminder that the Ferrari is coming first, is coming first for the brand, for the employees, for the Tifosi, and this we have to keep it in mind."
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