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Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur voiced his disappointment following an intra-team battle on the opening lap of the Mexico City Grand Prix that derailed a promising weekend for the Maranello squad. Securing second and fourth places might typically seem like a solid outcome among top-tier competitors, but Vasseur felt the team missed a golden opportunity to win the race due to overly aggressive driving between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Missed Opportunity at Turn 4
The race started well for Ferrari as polesitter Hamilton maintained his lead into Turn 1, while Leclerc advanced from third on the grid to pass George Russell and take second place. However, both red cars ran wide at the tight Turn 4 while contesting the same space. Leclerc cut across the grass to take the lead, whereas Hamilton lost momentum upon rejoining the track and was overtaken by Max Verstappen.
Leclerc kept his position to build an advantage before serving a five-second penalty, eventually losing the lead to Verstappen during the pit stops. Following a red flag interruption, Hamilton climbed back to second place, while Leclerc held on to finish fourth after locking up at the restart. Speaking to the media after the race, Vasseur acknowledged that the track layout contributed to the incident but emphasized that teamwork and respect were the primary issues.
While Leclerc blamed the circuit layout, Vasseur stated that the layout was no excuse. He highlighted that securing a one-two position at Turn 4 on a track where overtaking is extremely difficult should have guaranteed a race victory. Vasseur noted that the frustration extended far beyond himself to the 2,000 employees working on the team project, adding that it would take time to process.
The Importance of Mutual Respect
When questioned about pre-race protocols for the opening lap, Vasseur dismissed the need for positioning instructions, emphasizing that the situation ultimately came down to mutual respect. He stated that the drivers represent a larger group, including sponsors and thousands of factory staff who worked tirelessly through the night to deliver car upgrades.
Leclerc mentioned he wanted clearer direction from the pit wall regarding whether to return his position, but Vasseur explained that communicating was challenging. He noted that race control discussions combined with a five-second video delay meant the team was already approaching Turn 11 by the time a call could be made. Vasseur added that regulations require drivers to return positions before Turn 11 and that the team had agreed beforehand drivers should make that decision independently.
Vasseur declined to comment on radio remarks made by Hamilton after the red flag regarding big problems, stating he preferred to discuss matters directly with the drivers first.
Positives and Looking Ahead
Despite the missed victory, Vasseur pointed out several positive takeaways from a weekend where the SF-26 demonstrated strong pace and claimed pole position. He explained that the performance step forward and consistent points scoring against competitors made the missed opportunity even more painful, noting that the team was performing well enough to secure the top two spots.
Ferrari will turn its attention to the upcoming event, with Vasseur confirming that internal discussions would take place immediately to resolve the issue ahead of the race in Sao Paulo.
