The Formula 1 paddock at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace is buzzing with internal tension ahead of the Brazilian GP weekend. The atmosphere within the Scuderia Ferrari camp remains strained following a fierce wheel-to-wheel battle between Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc during the previous round in Mexico, an incident that ultimately cost both drivers a shot at victory.
The seven-time world champion made it clear on media day in Interlagos that the dust has far from settled. Hamilton openly suggested that his garage neighbor races him much harder than he ever did against previous teammates or other competitors on the grid.
"Look at Singapore, where he was right alongside Max and backed off the throttle. That is clearly different. It was the exact same story when he fought against Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz," Hamilton remarked, highlighting a perceived double standard in racing etiquette.
Addressing the media regarding his drivers' friction, Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur sought to defuse the brewing controversy in the Sao Paulo paddock. The Frenchman suggested that a build-up of frustration was natural given how frequently the pair start alongside each other on the grid.
"I am not entirely sure Lewis meant it that way. He mentioned that Charles raced him a bit harder than a few other drivers. But if you look at what Charles did in the first sector in Austin, everyone called it magical. The margin between these two drivers is extremely narrow. Yet, we must also acknowledge that they did not touch each other, so it was never aggressive," Vasseur explained.
To ensure the intra-team battle does not spiral out of control, Vasseur revealed that management held clear discussions with both drivers to realign expectations and maintain team unity heading into the final stretch of the championship.
"We talked about it yesterday evening because I had to fly back to Europe between the two races. But it went well. It was beneficial to discuss it openly, to clarify my stance and their viewpoints. Now, we are closing this chapter completely and focusing all our energy on the upcoming race weekend," he concluded.
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