Daily News 19

Tag: Charles Leclerc

  • F1 Spanish GP FP2: Kimi Antonelli Tops Tricky Session as Arvid Lindblad Crashes

    F1 Spanish GP FP2: Kimi Antonelli Tops Tricky Session as Arvid Lindblad Crashes

    Kimi Antonelli Leads FP2 at Spanish Grand Prix as Mercedes Shines in Madrid

    Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli topped the second practice session for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the challenging new Madring circuit in Madrid. The championship leader set the benchmark early and improved steadily as track conditions evolved, ultimately posting a 1m33.662s on soft tyres to lead the timesheets.

    Tricky Madrid Layout Tests Drivers from the Outset

    The 5.4-kilometre hybrid layout — combining street sections with a purpose-built high-speed loop — proved difficult to master from the opening session. With virtually no runoff areas, teams adopted a cautious approach in FP1, prioritising rhythm and muscle memory over outright pace. That conservatism carried into the early stages of FP2, though lap times began to tumble as grip levels improved.

    Antonelli set the initial pace on medium tyres with a 1m34.428s, only for Max Verstappen to briefly take over before the Mercedes driver responded with a 1m33.926s. Turn 17 emerged as a particular flashpoint, with multiple drivers running wide on exit and triggering track-limits violations.

    Soft-Tyre Runs Shuffle Order Before Red Flag Halts Action

    The session intensified at the halfway mark as most drivers switched to the soft compound, which proved demanding to keep in its optimal temperature window under sustained lateral loads. Antonelli again set the reference with his session-best 1m33.662s. Team-mate George Russell slotted in just a tenth behind, while Ferrari duo Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc followed in third and fourth.

    Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad delivered an eye-catching performance to sit fourth before his afternoon ended abruptly. The British rookie slid into the barriers at Turn 13, a medium-speed left-hander, bringing out the red flags with 25 minutes remaining. Lindblad escaped unharmed, but the TecPro barrier repairs consumed the remaining session time, freezing the order at the top.

    Norris Sidelined by Gearbox Issue; Home Heroes Struggle

    McLaren endured a difficult Friday. Reigning world champion Lando Norris completed just two laps before a transmission issue forced him into the garage for a gearbox change, leaving Oscar Piastri as the team’s sole representative in seventh. Meanwhile, local favourites Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso finished 16th and 17th respectively, with Alonso’s start delayed by a clutch problem on his Aston Martin.

    Spanish GP FP2 Classification – Top 10

    1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1m33.662s
    2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
    3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
    4. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
    5. George Russell (Mercedes)
    6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
    7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
    8. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)
    9. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
    10. Liam Lawson (Red Bull)

    Tsunoda, making his third appearance of the season while Isack Hadjar recovers from a wrist injury, impressed in eighth. Haas driver Esteban Ocon and Red Bull’s Liam Lawson rounded out the top 10.

    With the Madring circuit continuing to evolve and tyre management critical, Saturday’s final practice and qualifying sessions promise further shifts in the competitive order.

  • Ferrari “too late” to prioritise Lewis Hamilton in F1 title fight, says Jolyon Palmer

    Ferrari “too late” to prioritise Lewis Hamilton in F1 title fight, says Jolyon Palmer

    Former Formula 1 driver and current F1 TV pundit Jolyon Palmer asserts that Ferrari has missed its opportunity to prioritize Lewis Hamilton’s championship aspirations, arguing that the Scuderia has already seen its title hopes evaporate.

    Disastrous Home Race Precipitates Crisis

    The assessment arrives on the heels of a catastrophic Italian Grand Prix at Monza for the Fred Vasseur-led squad. Starting third and fourth respectively, Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc collided at Turn 1 on the opening lap. The incident set the tone for a weekend that saw Leclerc crash out on the second lap, effectively surrendering significant ground in a championship fight that was already tilting against them.

    Championship Standings Highlight Uphill Battle

    The points deficit underscores the magnitude of the challenge. Hamilton currently sits third in the drivers’ standings with 191 points, a substantial 76 points adrift of championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc languishes in fifth place with 155 points. With the gap widening, external pressure has mounted for Ferrari to anoint a clear number-one driver, but Palmer contends that strategic window has firmly shut.

    Palmer: “The Ship Has Sailed” on Title Hopes

    Speaking on the F1 TV Weekend Warm-Up show ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, Palmer delivered a blunt verdict when asked if the team should now back Hamilton exclusively.

    “Well, I feel like it’s too late,” Palmer said during the F1 TV Weekend Warm-Up show when asked if it is time for Ferrari to back Hamilton in the title fight.

    “The ship has sailed. I feel like they’re drifting away from championship contention. They’re not going to make it. I don’t think they’re quick enough.”

    Internal Rivalry Undermines Collective Progress

    Palmer expanded on his analysis, highlighting a persistent pattern of intra-team conflict that has prevented Ferrari from maximizing its weekends. He noted the irony of drivers acknowledging the need for cooperation while continuing to race each other aggressively.

    “And the drivers are so focused on beating each other that Lewis is talking there about how they need to start working together. We’re on round 14. I think back to China and they were knocking into each other, and there was a little bit of contact. They were absolutely swinging for each other for a podium while the Mercedes escaped.”

    “You thought, OK, they don’t have the pace to beat Mercedes on that day and it was fun to watch, and they do race each other really hard. They have done all season, but I can’t think of a single time where they’ve actually worked together.”

    Missed Opportunities at Key Rounds

    The pundit cited specific races where a lack of coordination cost the team dearly, contrasting the drivers’ fortunes when the other was not a factor.

    “Think of Lewis’s win and Charles wasn’t in contention in Barcelona, and Charles’s win and Lewis had jumped the start and wasn’t really in contention at Silverstone.”

    “So when they have an inferior car, I do feel like they had to probably prioritise a driver, if not at least make sure that they’re working together in any given race.”

    Monza Qualifying Advantage Squandered

    Palmer pointed to the Monza grid as the latest example of a strategic opportunity wasted. With the McLarens and Max Verstappen starting behind the Ferraris, and one Mercedes further back, the stage was set for a major points haul on home soil.

    “Starting third and fourth at Monza with one Mercedes at the back, both McLarens behind them, Max Verstappen behind as well, you’re thinking, OK, you’ve actually got a great chance to take the fight on your home turf. And they immediately started having a go with each other.”

    As the paddock moves to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix, the scrutiny on Ferrari’s driver management and car performance will only intensify, with Palmer’s assessment suggesting the structural issues run deeper than a simple hierarchy adjustment can fix.

  • ‘Clear that I could have done a better job’ – Leclerc accepts blame for Hamilton incident at Monza

    ‘Clear that I could have done a better job’ – Leclerc accepts blame for Hamilton incident at Monza

    Charles Leclerc acknowledged responsibility for the opening-lap clash with Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton at Monza, stating ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix that it’s pretty clear that I could have done a better job.

    Leclerc takes blame for Turn 2 incident

    The Ferrari drivers ran side-by-side through the first chicane during last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, sending Hamilton into the gravel and dropping him down the order. The contact briefly strained the relationship between the pair before Hamilton said on Thursday in Madrid that they got a good racing relationship.

    Leclerc confirmed the two had spoken to clear the air, with the Monegasque driver admitting he was primarily at fault.

    Having the Turn 2 incident is not something we ever want to see again, he said. And for that, reviewing the images, it’s pretty clear that I could have done a better job just slowing down the car and not putting Lewis then in a difficult situation.

    So this is something I can learn from, for sure, but we’ve already spoken with Lewis.

    I think what was very important was to speak, first of all. It’s been quite a few years now that I’m in Ferrari — and I kind of know how it feels when everything around Ferrari is kind of on fire.

    And if you don’t speak between Lewis and I, then you can get caught up with this noise that there is around the team.

    It’s not that there are no reasons for that noise, but I think the intensity of the noise is a bit too crazy. When you look at Monza, there’s been friction between other team mates and we barely talk about it.

    But when it’s about Ferrari, it takes proportions that are not normal. But we spoke with Lewis. We’ve always had a great relationship.

    I have a lot of respect for Lewis, and I told him that in Turn 2 I didn’t behave the way I should have, and the way a team mate should.

    Leclerc fit for Madrid after heavy Monza crash

    Leclerc’s Monza race ended on lap two after a heavy impact at the final corner that brought out the red flag. Although medically cleared, he revealed he felt the effects in the immediate aftermath but expects to be fully fit for the new Madrid circuit layout this weekend.

    I will be 100% fine. I mean, it was only right after the crash that it was just a little bit strange and I felt a little bit dizzy, he said.

    But very quickly, from Monday afternoon, I felt better. I had quite a few treatments for the neck, because that’s where most of the shock went, and I’m feeling good now.

    So I’m ready for this weekend. I did quite a lot of checks, and all checks were fully fine. So no worries for this weekend.

  • Lewis Hamilton: I Don’t Want Preferential Treatment from Ferrari

    Lewis Hamilton: I Don’t Want Preferential Treatment from Ferrari

    Lewis Hamilton has dismissed suggestions that Ferrari should prioritize his championship bid over team-mate Charles Leclerc, insisting his focus remains on collective execution rather than preferential treatment. The seven-time world champion finds himself 76 points behind championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli with 10 rounds remaining, while Leclerc’s retirement at the Italian Grand Prix leaves him 112 points adrift—assuming the final races proceed unaffected by the Iran conflict.

    Hamilton Rejects Number One Driver Status

    Despite holding a mathematically viable path to the title, Hamilton pushed back against the narrative that Ferrari should funnel resources toward his campaign. When asked if the Scuderia should put all efforts behind him and have Leclerc play a supporting role, Hamilton responded directly:

    “That’s not actually really what I’ve been asking for.

    “It’s really just making sure we’re executing to make sure we get the best result for the team. Instead of us working against each other and finishing fourth and fifth, maybe we can work together and get a podium, pull off more points.”

    Consistency Keeps Hamilton in Contention

    Hamilton’s championship relevance stems largely from remarkable consistency: he is the only driver to finish every grand prix inside the top ten this season, with his lowest result being sixth. Yet he remains acutely aware of Ferrari’s fundamental deficit relative to Mercedes, particularly in power unit performance. Ferrari has yet to secure a single pole position in 2026.

    Quantifying the Straight-Line Deficit

    Hamilton provided specific data on the performance gap, highlighting the straight-line disadvantage that has defined Ferrari’s season:

    “Mercedes, if you look at the last race, they were six tenths a lap quicker on the straights,” Hamilton pointed out. “Pretty much most of the other tracks, it was three or four tenths. We were losing just on the straights.

    “I think we’ve done a really great job, given that we’ve had that deficit, and we continue to make improvements to the car. We’ve made improvements to the engine. We knew that the last [engine] upgrade wasn’t going to be a silver bullet and close that gap completely. But for me, it’s really positive to see us continuously stepping forward. They are just very, very quick, and it’s not easy.”

    Focus on Internal Execution Over External Rivals

    Rather than fixating on Mercedes’ advantage, Hamilton emphasized a strategy centered on operational excellence and capitalizing on opponent errors:

    “As I said, rather than focus on them – they’re not a focus for me at the moment – I think our focus should just be, how we can do the best and execute the best on our weekends, because there’ll be weekends where they’re exceptional, and there’ll be weekends where they maybe drop the ball.

    “As long as we just focus on our consistency and trying to optimise our weekends, maybe there’s going to be a moment where we are able to capitalise on, perhaps, their shortcomings.”

    That approach already yielded a signature victory earlier this season, when Hamilton beat Antonelli and George Russell to win the Barcelona Grand Prix—proof that maximizing Ferrari’s package can overcome the straight-line deficit on the right weekend.

  • ‘Nothing lingers’: Lewis Hamilton opens up on ‘racing relationship’ with Charles Leclerc after Monza clash

    ‘Nothing lingers’: Lewis Hamilton opens up on ‘racing relationship’ with Charles Leclerc after Monza clash

    Hamilton and Leclerc Maintain Strong Racing Relationship After Monza Clash

    Lewis Hamilton has emphasized that he shares “a good racing relationship” with Charles Leclerc following a near-disastrous collision at the start of the Italian Grand Prix. The British driver also praised Ferrari’s communication in the aftermath of the incident.

    Monza Incident Sees Both Drivers Lose Ground

    The pair lined up on the second row for Ferrari’s home race at Monza, but any podium hopes evaporated quickly. Running side-by-side at Turn 2, Hamilton was forced onto the gravel and tumbled down the order, while Leclerc crashed out not long after. Hamilton subsequently called on Ferrari to “change things” regarding their approach to intra-team battles so they don’t end up “in jeopardy” again. Team Principal Fred Vasseur indicated that a discussion around rules of engagement would be necessary.

    Tension Resolved as Focus Shifts to Spanish Grand Prix

    Hamilton recovered to sixth place, and any lingering tension appears to have been put behind them as the team turns its attention to this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix at the brand-new Madring circuit. Reflecting on his bond with Leclerc, the 41-year-old said:

    “I think we’ve got a good racing relationship. I think the fact [is] that we are grown ups and are able to communicate with each other, which we have.

    “I’m really happy that he’s really healthy and he’s back here this weekend because we need him in the fight to challenge Mercedes together. There is all this discussion about communication and execution and stuff, but the communication between John [Elkann, Executive Chairman] and Benedetto [Vigna, Chief Executive Officer] and Fred, and his drivers, are really great.

    “We all sit down and talk afterwards, squash it and move on so nothing lingers. We’re just looking forward to how we can work better together.”

    Championship Gap and Remaining Opportunities

    The frustrating result at Monza saw Hamilton drop to 76 points behind standings leader Kimi Antonelli — roughly the equivalent of three Grand Prix victories. With 10 rounds remaining, however, Ferrari remains hopeful of continuing the fight against Mercedes and staying in contention for the championship, with Hamilton targeting a record-breaking eighth drivers’ title.

    Hamilton’s Belief in Ferrari’s Potential

    “I’m still a believer that Ferrari has absolutely everything we need to win,” he concluded. “It takes everything coming together, naturally, to be able to achieve what we’re trying to achieve.

    “It’s also difficult when you’re fighting against the team just ahead on performance. I think we just have to continue. We’ve built a really good foundation with this first part of the year and we just have to continue to build on it. The team has worked incredibly hard to bring upgrades weekend in and weekend out.

    “We’ve just obviously taken a step with the engine, which is a real positive. I think it’s really important to just acknowledge that. I trust in everything that we’re doing, the steps we’re taking. Trusting Fred, and I really believe that we will get to where we’re going. Whether it’s next week, several weeks’ time or next year, we’ll just keep pushing.”

  • “I went too far”: Charles Leclerc accepts blame for Monza second-corner clash with Lewis Hamilton

    “I went too far”: Charles Leclerc accepts blame for Monza second-corner clash with Lewis Hamilton

    Leclerc Admits He Went “Too Far” in Monza Battle with Hamilton, Says Pair Have Cleared the Air

    Charles Leclerc has acknowledged he overstepped the mark during his opening-lap clash with Lewis Hamilton at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix, confirming the Ferrari team-mates have since discussed the incident and moved on.

    Opening-Chicane Contact Sends Hamilton onto Gravel

    The pair ran side-by-side through the first chicane at Monza, but Leclerc attempted to hold the standard racing line exiting Turn 2. The move forced Hamilton onto the gravel on the outside of the corner, ending the Briton’s race prematurely.

    In the immediate aftermath—following his own second-lap crash at Parabolica—Leclerc stated that “we went too far” in their battle at the opening corner. Hamilton firmly disagreed, countering that “there was no ‘we’ in it” and criticising Ferrari’s race communication and execution.

    Leclerc Accepts Responsibility After Review

    After reviewing footage with team principal Fred Vasseur and Hamilton himself, Leclerc accepted blame and sought to protect the intra-team relationship.

    “I mean the rules of engagement, I think it’s kind of clear that we never want to see a car of the same team in the grass.

    After reviewing, we spoke with Lewis, I obviously know I went too far in Turn 2 and I said it to Lewis and I think it’s very clear what we should do or should avoid going forward.

    But I won’t go into much more details of what we said. The only thing I can say is that it definitely did not affect the good relationship that we have and it will not affect anything going forward. And that is the most important for me really.

    Then of course, I mean I know we are driving for Ferrari and if there’s one race where you don’t want that to happen is in Monza and when these things happen at our home race, then it does a huge mess outside.

    However, looking at the race from outside, there’s been also some friction between other team-mates and the only thing we end up speaking of is Lewis and I, which I don’t think is quite right.

    “Not Acceptable” but Proportions Magnified at Ferrari

    Leclerc was keen not to minimise the error while contextualising the media scrutiny.

    “But that doesn’t mean we did everything perfect. I didn’t in Turn 2 and for that I’ve been straight away very clear with Lewis after reviewing the images.

    I think the most important is that we clarified the situation, we talked, I told Lewis how I felt, Lewis told me what he felt and I think we fully agree with both of our views in hindsight when we speak without the emotions of the race.

    It happens. It’s not the last time that will happen I’m sure, because it’s the kind of things that happens in racing – particularly when we are starting so close to each other so often. But it’s not a situation that we want to find ourselves in again so and that is very clear for Lewis and for myself.”

    Asked by Motorsport.com whether the incident had been overblown—especially given his observation of “friction between other team-mates” (referencing Mercedes’ split pit strategies and on-track battle)—Leclerc agreed the “proportions” were larger for Ferrari.

    “Again I need to be careful with that because surely it’s not to minimise the way that this unfolded. And as I said, it’s not acceptable to see Lewis going in the gravel.

    But for sure the proportions as a matter of fact are much bigger on our side compared to the two other teams that have had some…I mean, I didn’t follow the whole race but the two other teams I saw that were fighting at the top, there wasn’t as much noise around it.

    So surely, the proportions that it takes when when you are driving for Ferrari is much bigger and particularly if we’re in Monza. But that’s not to minimise what happens and yeah it’s not something that should happen again.”

    Photo by: Andy Hone / LAT Images via Getty Images

  • “It’s always the same” – Carlos Sainz weighs in on Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s Monza clash

    “It’s always the same” – Carlos Sainz weighs in on Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s Monza clash

    Carlos Sainz has drawn on his four years as Charles Leclerc’s teammate at Ferrari to downplay any lingering tension between Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton following their collision at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix.

    Sainz and Leclerc were evenly matched during their stint together at the Scuderia from 2021 to 2024, with Sainz accumulating 900.5 points to Leclerc’s 1,029. That parity occasionally sparked on-track friction, such as at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix where Sainz accused the Monegasque of complaining too much after contact while overtaking in Barcelona. However, the pair always resolved disagreements internally, a dynamic Sainz believes Leclerc and Hamilton must now replicate.

    Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

    Sainz: Conflict Is Normal Between Competitive Teammates

    Speaking in Madrid on Thursday, Sainz emphasized that clashes are inevitable when two top drivers share a garage.

    It’s none of my business, but I can tell you that when you have two competitive team-mates, these kind of situations are always going to happen.

    Me with Charles, always twice, two or three times a year, we always had a bit of a discussion or an argument, but after the race or the morning after we would call each other and sort it out.

    So yeah, I think it’s normal when you’re fighting for podiums or wins in a competitive team and there’s situations into turn one or situations fighting the race or with strategy, you always end up one day being not happy with the way it’s been handled and the next day maybe you’ve been favoured.

    It’s always the same case and I don’t know the way it’s being handled right now, but when I was there in Ferrari with Charles, we would always sort it out among each other and we would get on with it and yeah, we had a good time.

    Monza Collision: Diverging Accounts

    At Monza, Leclerc forced Hamilton into the gravel at the start, allowing Leclerc to retain third while Hamilton dropped to tenth after crashing at Parabolica on lap two. Post-race, Leclerc accepted shared blame, claiming we went too far, but Hamilton firmly rejected that narrative.

    I was ahead in Turn 2, by the apex I was ahead, there was no ‘we’ in it.

    Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Photo by: Eric Le Galliot

    Hamilton expanded on his perspective, defending his racing ethics and pointing to team leadership.

    Look, I don’t race dirty, he added at Monza. I’ve always raced clean and fairly and always left space.

    I’ve come into the team and tried to be respectful of space and definitely not put the team in jeopardy. I stand by that and all I can talk about is on my side. You have to speak to Fred [Vasseur, team principal] about the other side and decisions that are taken there.

    Ultimately it comes from the top. It trickles down, decisions. It starts with Fred. There’s only so much you can say, so much you can push and shout from the mountain top.

    Yesterday, I said we’ve got to look at how we communicate. If we continue to travel the same path, we get the same result. We keep getting the same result.

    Hamilton Questions Ferrari’s Rules of Engagement

    The Monza incident is the latest flashpoint in a season where Hamilton has repeatedly criticized Ferrari’s operational execution. At Zandvoort, he was frustrated by a lack of team orders while running behind Leclerc, a scenario he felt cost him a podium finish. Ferrari now trails Mercedes by 122 points in the Constructors’ Championship.

    Hamilton contrasted the current environment with his Mercedes tenure, where clear protocols governed teammate battles.

    I think it comes down to rules of engagement, said Hamilton in Italy. When I was at Mercedes, we had a written rule of engagement.

    We never really had it too bad. Maybe moments with me and Nico [Rosberg] a couple of times. But more often than not it was good. Here, there are no rules.

  • Ferrari Still “Missing Pure Power” Despite ADUO 2 Upgrade

    Ferrari Still “Missing Pure Power” Despite ADUO 2 Upgrade

    Ferrari Concedes 2026 Engine Power Deficit to Mercedes After Monza Struggles

    Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur has acknowledged that the Scuderia was never realistically positioned to match Mercedes on engine power for the 2026 season. The admission comes after a difficult Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza, where the team’s power unit deficit was laid bare on the calendar’s most power-sensitive circuit.

    ADUO System Fails to Close Gap

    Since F1 introduced new technical regulations this year, Mercedes has fielded the most puissant power unit. The Additional Development and Upgrades Opportunities system (ADUO) was designed to help manufacturers lagging in performance catch up. Assessments based on the internal combustion engine actually identified Red Bull as having the most powerful unit. Consequently, Mercedes received one upgrade token for 2026 and 2027, while Ferrari, Audi, and Honda were each granted two.

    Despite this advantage, Ferrari’s ADUO upgrades — debuting in Austria and at Monza — have not bridged the gap. Mercedes has yet to introduce its sole update for the year, expected in October. At Monza, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth respectively. Leclerc crashed out after contact with his teammate at the start. In qualifying trim, the Ferrari power unit was 5.6 km/h slower on top speed compared to the benchmark, a figure mirrored by Oliver Bearman in the Haas.

    “At least I was right on something,”

    Vasseur quipped after the race, referencing his prior insistence that the ADUO upgrade would not be a game-changer. When asked if the upgrade met expectations and whether energy deployment contributed to the deficit, Vasseur was candid.

    “I don’t want to give details, but when you have a lack of pure power, then you start to play with deployment to try to compensate in one straight line. But if you deploy more somewhere, for sure you will deploy less somewhere else and then you are going in the wrong spiral to try to play with this when you are fighting.

    Honestly, it’s not about deployment. I think deployment was okay-ish, that even McLaren, they were playing a little bit Friday and Saturday morning. At the end, we are missing pure power.”

    Quantifying the Power Deficit

    Vasseur used a theoretical framework to explain how the deficit scales across different circuit layouts.

    “The reality of this is that if you are missing X in Zandvoort, you are two or three tenths [down]. If you are missing X minus – I’m using letters because you will try to extrapolate – if you are missing a bit less than X in Monza, the delta with the Merc is two times bigger.”

    Cost Cap and Lead Times Constrain Development

    Pressed on whether specific design choices caused the power shortfall, Vasseur highlighted the structural challenges of power unit development under the current cost cap.

    “On the engine, the process is mega long because the lead time of the parts is long and the cost cap is not easy. You have to produce the engine for the season. You are already a bit like this and if you want to start to do the development, you have to produce a new batch of engines, and it’s tricky.

    We were not expecting to recover [with] ADUO 1 or ADUO 2. We are doing small steps, but what you have to keep in mind is that if you make a small step on the engine, even if you make a couple of horsepower, it’s a good step on the grid.”

    The competitiveness of the midfield underscores this point. In Monza qualifying, just 0.127 seconds separated third-placed Oscar Piastri from seventh-placed Kimi Antonelli.

    Focus Shifts to 2025 Power Unit

    “That means that now we will have a new engine next year. For sure, the target is to catch up, to catch up as soon as possible, but I was not expecting that in two months we will recover the delta with Mercedes.”

    Championship Standings Widen

    The Monza result compounded Ferrari’s championship woes. The Scuderia’s deficit to Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship has ballooned from 87 to 122 points. In the Drivers’ standings, Hamilton now trails by 76 points after finishing only sixth at his future team’s home race.

  • Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc Monza Clash: What Doesn’t Make Sense

    Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc Monza Clash: What Doesn’t Make Sense

    Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s on-track clash and post-race tension at Monza follows a familiar pattern in Formula 1 history, yet the underlying motive remains unusually opaque. While teammate rivalries are a staple of the sport, the Ferrari duo’s current friction lacks the clear championship stakes that defined the sport’s most famous feuds.

    Historical Context: When Rivals Fight for the Title

    The great teammate battles — Ayrton Senna versus Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell versus Nelson Piquet, Mark Webber versus Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg versus Hamilton — all ignited when both drivers had machinery capable of winning the world championship. In those eras, the title depended almost entirely on beating the person across the garage.

    Consider the most recent parallel. In Hamilton’s first Mercedes season (2013), the W04 yielded one win for him and two for Rosberg. The car was not a title contender, and their relationship remained cordial. Everything shifted in 2014 when Mercedes’ hybrid power unit arrived; suddenly the ultimate prize was at stake, and the pair transitioned from sharing pizza in Monaco to an intense rivalry extending well beyond the circuit.

    No Championship, No Contracts, No Financial Pressure

    With Leclerc and Hamilton, the incentives are missing. Ferrari’s public ambition notwithstanding, the 2025 season’s results and standings make a credible world-title challenge difficult to argue. Neither driver is fighting for a 2027 seat — both have long-term deals secured — and both command salaries that render a “fighting over crumbs” narrative, joked about in the Monza paddock, entirely wide of the mark.

    Crucially, both are employed by Ferrari to deliver for Ferrari. As established stars, they are expected to prioritize the team’s interests, especially when the car cannot realistically contest a championship.

    Shifting Dynamics: From Frustration to Form

    Hamilton spent much of 2025 absorbing frustration while Leclerc consistently outperformed him. Having rediscovered his pace, the seven-time champion now appears keen to make a statement — to the paddock and to his teammate. Conversely, Leclerc’s stock rose sharply last year on the back of that superiority; twelve months later, Hamilton leads comfortably in the championship table, altering the internal pecking order.

    This need to prove oneself against a teammate typically drives midfield battles, where a single podium can define a season and job security is fragile. For two veterans with secured futures, beating each other at all costs should be a lower priority.

    Vasseur’s Next Move

    The onus now falls on team principal Frédéric Vasseur. He met both drivers in his Monza office before the race, but a follow-up discussion appears necessary. The principle is straightforward: team interests must supersede individual ambitions, particularly when the prize is not a world championship.

    A rivalry can be an asset when it propels a team toward success. When no title is at stake and the friction begins to undermine collective performance, it becomes just another problem — and Ferrari already carries enough of those.

  • Fred Vasseur Delivers Verdict on Ferrari Driver Clash at Italian GP

    Fred Vasseur Delivers Verdict on Ferrari Driver Clash at Italian GP

    Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged that the opening-lap clash between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix was “not good for the team” following a disappointing weekend for the Scuderia at Monza.

    First-lap incident drops Hamilton to tenth

    Leclerc defended aggressively against his teammate on lap one after both Ferraris started from the second row. The Monegasque driver refused to yield, pushing Hamilton wide at the exit of Turn 2 and forcing the seven-time champion into the gravel. Hamilton plummeted to 10th place as a result.

    Vasseur: ‘Outcome of Turn 1-2 is not good for the team’

    Addressing the media on Sunday night, Vasseur kept his initial remarks brief.

    “I spoke to Lewis for two seconds and not at all with Charles,” Vasseur said when asked about the incident during his media session on Sunday night. “We’ll have time to discuss that. I prefer to discuss with them first and not with you. For sure, the outcome of Turn 1-2 is not good for the team, if it’s the question.”

    Team orders debate: too early before Monza

    Ferrari has resisted imposing team orders this season despite external pressure to support Hamilton, who has been the quicker Ferrari driver relative to the Mercedes pair. Vasseur maintained that such a move would have been premature before the Italian round, though he signaled the stance could shift.

    “Now, to see if we [need to] have a team order or whatever, I think that the good comparison that I made was that last year,” he said. “Piastri was leading McLaren at this stage of the season and if McLaren put everything on Piastri, Max Verstappen would have been champion.

    “For sure, at one stage you have to take a decision, but I think it was too early to take a decision before Monza. Now I will have time to discuss with the guys.

    “For a team, it’s never good to lose points. This is clear. Now, basically at the beginning of the season, I think every single team principal in the world would love to let them race. To freeze positions when you are the team principal, don’t imagine that it’s an easy choice. You do it for the team, you do it for the results at the end, but it’s never an easy call.

    “By definition, I would love to let them race all the weekend. Now, by reason, you have to take a decision at one stage. Each team is different. We will have to take a decision when we’ll decide.”

    Drivers offer contrasting views on the clash

    Leclerc, who later retired after crashing at the Parabolica, admitted the incident went too far. “we went too far”, he said.

    Hamilton rejected the collective framing when Leclerc’s comment was put to him.

    “I was ahead in Turn 2, by the apex, I was ahead. There was no we in it.”

    Championship implications

    Following Kimi Antonelli’s victory at Monza, Hamilton now trails the Italian driver by 76 points in the drivers’ championship. In the constructors’ standings, Ferrari sits 122 points behind Mercedes.