Vasseur comments on Mexico-incident: “My drivers need to respect one another”

Written by Bo Helmus

Vasseur is busy making sure his drivers stay in line | Credit: Formula One

It is time to finish the triple header in São Paulo. But before Ferrari can focus on the race ahead, it is time to look back to last week. In Mexico, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc almost drove each other out of the race. 

In Formula One, your teammate is always your biggest rival. If you can beat them in equal machinery, that means you are the better driver. However, in the races, you have to work together with your teammate to score points for the team.

But when tensions rise, it can be difficult to do so. Ferrari didn’t want to give team orders and decided to let their drivers race each other. That didn’t go according to the plan at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. 

This wasn’t the first time that Ferrari lost points because their drivers raced each other too hard. In Monza, the two got together in the second corner. 

The Ferraris have been too close for comfort multiple times now | Credit: Formula One

Fighting spirit

Team principal Frédéric Vasseur sat down with his drivers to talk about the events: "It went well. It was good to discuss things and clarify my position and their positions. Now we turn the page and focus on the next one.

"I think they've accumulated a bit of frustration because they're starting each weekend side by side, and you have an accumulation of incidents. 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.

“Mainly, and firstly, they need to respect the brand, the team, the people working at home and the people working at the track. We're putting a lot of effort into this, and the message was clear and will stay clear."

The Ferraris came together in Monza as well | Credit: Formula One

Losing a win

What could have been an easy double podium, and maybe a win, became a third and fourth place after Hamilton and Leclerc went too deep into Turn 3, allowing Max Verstappen to get into second place. 

The Monegasque was handed a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, promoting the Dutchman to first place after the pit stops. Verstappen didn’t give away this position anymore. 

The Frenchman is disappointed in his drivers: “We failed collectively because we were one-two and didn't win the race in the end. The conclusion of the meeting yesterday evening was clear. It was a reminder that Ferrari comes first, for the brand, for the employees and for the Tifosi."

Hamilton came only third in Mexico whilst Leclerc wasn’t on the podium at all | Credit: Formula One

Experienced drivers

Hamilton and Leclerc are often neck and neck, causing tensions to rise. Vasseur comments that that is making it extra difficult: “We have two experienced, competitive guys. It's now four or five races in a row that we've been at the front, scoring the highest number of points after Monza and Madrid. 

“You have an escalation because they both want to win races. I think that's probably the downside of the system. We have two competitive guys starting each weekend next to each other.

"But we are P2 today, because we have two guys who are very close, and we have to manage it. It's a choice in the line-up, and has positives and negatives. But I will deal with the negatives."

Hamilton and Leclerc are both experienced, competitive drivers | Credit: Formula One

Acting professionally

Hamilton has voiced his concern about the inner workings of the team. He has made it clear that he didn’t agree with the strategy over the board radio. Vasseur said he dealt with it: "I was clear with Lewis, and I'll keep that between Lewis and myself.

"You can't compare the relationship between Carlos [Sainz] and Charles, Charles and Lewis, or Lewis and Valtteri [Bottas] in the past. They have different personalities.

"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."

"We had a discussion, and it has to stay private. It's a matter of respect for them and for the team.”

"We're working for a brand, for sponsors, but mainly for the employees of the team. We've had a good recovery in terms of performance. We came back after Madrid in much better shape, and that's due to the work of the people at home. As a team, we all have to keep this in mind. It's not due to the wind. It's due to the work of the employees of the company."

Leclerc and Hamilton need to keep the team in mind when racing | Credit: Formula One

Déjà vu

Toto Wolff recognises the dynamics at Ferrari: "It's like déjà vu because you asked me exactly the same questions for so many years, and then Nico [Rosberg] called it a day.”

"Sometimes, when you put two strong drivers in, the best ones have edges and they want to win. That's a situation that's always very difficult to cope with, particularly under the media spotlight when those cars are racing at the front. I can relate to what Fred is going through at the moment.”

The German refers to the time where Rosberg and Hamilton were teammates at Mercedes. Their battles on-track often proved disastrous for the race result. 

Hamilton had harsh battles with his teammate at Mercedes as well | Credit: Formula One

"Sometimes it needs a really tough incident to make a point. When I was there with Nico and Lewis, whenever there was an accident, it was understood that this was the limit and it wouldn't continue like that.

"It's about respect for the team: the many thousands of people and the brand they work for. That's what they need to keep in their heads."