What Fred Vasseur told Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in crunch Ferrari meeting

Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed details of his crunch meeting with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc about their costly opening-lap squabble in Mexico. 

Leclerc and Hamilton’s feisty first-lap battle at the Mexico City Grand Prix allowed Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to snatch what seven-time world champion Hamilton believed should have been a Ferrari victory. 

Hamilton was critical of Leclerc after the race and the increased tension between the pair following their most serious flashpoint of 2026 so far prompted Ferrari boss Vasseur to sit them both down on Thursday evening ahead of this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix. 

“We did it [the meeting] yesterday evening because I had to fly back to Europe between the two races, but it went well,” Vasseur said on Friday. “It was good to discuss, good to clarify my position and their position. It was good to do and now we turn the page and we are focused on the next one.

“The guidelines is still the same. They accumulated perhaps a bit of frustration because they are starting each weekend side-by-side and you have a kind of accumulation of fact. But at the end of the day, the guidelines is always the same. 

“They need to respect each other, they are two competitors with the fighting spirit for sure, but they need to have respect for the other one, 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.”

Asked whether it was agreed that Hamilton and Leclerc will work together in future to ensure a Ferrari victory, Vasseur replied: “I think it's true for Ferrari, but it's true for every single team that they are working for the team and the team has to come first. 

“For sure in this situation, we failed collectively because that we were 1-2 and we didn't win the race at the end. It’s clear that we failed and we have to react. The conclusion of the meeting yesterday evening, it was a clear reminder that 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.”

Vasseur acknowledged that managing tensions between his drivers is a consequence of Ferrari choosing a competitive pairing, adding that he is prepared to “deal with the negative” aspects that come with that. 

“For sure that we have two experienced guys, two competitive guys. It's four or five races in a row that we are at the front, scoring the highest number of points after Monza and Madrid,” Vasseur explained. 

“For sure you have a kind of escalation that you all want to win races, and I think it's probably the downside of the system is that we have two competitive guys starting each weekend next to each other. 

“But I think if we are P2 today, it's also because we have two guys very, very close, and we have to manage it, but it's a choice. It’s a choice in the lineup, and I have the positive and the negative, but I will deal with the negative.” 

Vasseur believes it is “a bit harsh” to suggest Hamilton and Leclerc did not race each other cleanly, pointing to the fact the pair did not make contact in Mexico. 

“It’s taking huge proportion because we were 1-2, but there was no contact between cars. It's not always like this between two teammates,” he said. 

“For sure, it's not a good move because when you are 1-2, you are expecting to stay 1-2, and we didn't.  On top, we took the penalty, and this ruined the race, but overall, we still scored the highest number of points on the weekend. 

“I would have preferred to finish P1 for sure, but we have to take it, stay calm and take it step-by-step.”

Vasseur cited Leclerc’s brilliant overtake on Verstappen at the start of the recent United States Grand Prix as an example of his on-the-limit style. 

“If you have a look at what Charles did in Austin in the first section, everybody said that he was magic,” he added. “The line is fine between the two but he didn’t crash into the other car. It was not an aggression.”

And Vasseur stressed it would be unreasonable and unrealistic to expect two elite drivers like Hamilton and Leclerc to be “best friends”. 

“You can't compare the relationship between Carlos and Charles, or Charles and Lewis, or Lewis and Bottas in the past, or whatever,” the Frenchman said. 

“They have different personalities, that probably in terms of age, experience, that Charles was a bit closer to Carlos, and it is like it is, but I'm not asking them to be best friends. 

“I think it's would be even probably a bit negative. I'm just asking them to act and to work as professional, and this is it.” 

Speaking on Thursday in Brazil, Hamilton insisted he will not be silenced about his frustrations amid his quest to return Ferrari back to championship-winning ways. 

Asked if he has any concerns about the kind of language Hamilton used in his criticism, Vasseur responded: “On this I was clear with Lewis and I will keep it between Lewis and me.”