“Everything Is Settled”: Charles Leclerc Delivers Verdict After Ferrari Orders Clear-the-Air Talks with Lewis Hamilton
Following days of internal friction sparked by a botched victory attempt at the Mexico City Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were summoned by Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur for closed-door discussions at Interlagos ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix.
The intervention came after Ferrari squandered a front-row lockout in Mexico despite bringing the quickest package to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Speaking after Free Practice 2 in Brazil, Leclerc delivered a concise three-word verdict on their relationship: “everything is settled.”
Anatomy of the Clash: How Ferrari Threw Away Mexico City
Ferrari entered race day in Mexico in prime position, only for internal conflict to unravel their weekend:
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Front-Row Advantage: Hamilton secured pole position, with Leclerc lining up third before moving into second through the opening chicane to establish a Scuderia 1–2 on a track where overtaking is notoriously difficult.
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The Overambitious Move: The race disintegrated when Leclerc attempted an aggressive overtake for the lead, running wide off the track and incurring a time penalty.
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Verstappen Pounces: Amid the intra-team chaos, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen capitalized, slipping past Hamilton and eventually inheriting the net lead once Leclerc served his penalty to claim victory.
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Accusations and Tension: A furious Hamilton demanded “serious talks,” publicly alleging that his teammate had “worked against” him and fought harder against a fellow Ferrari than he would have against any external rival. Leclerc defended his entitlement to challenge for the win, while Vasseur expressed acute frustration at an unforced team defeat.
The Interlagos Summit: “Ferrari Comes First”
Because Leclerc flew back to Europe immediately following the race in Mexico for the birth of his daughter, face-to-face debriefs were delayed until the paddock reconvened in Brazil on Thursday:
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Leclerc’s Perspective: Speaking in the media pen after sitting out FP1 for reserve driver Dino Beganovic and returning for FP2, Leclerc drew a line under the drama:“Obviously, there have been a lot of things, probably too many things, said in the last week. We’ve spoken, I think everything is settled and I’m looking forward to the rest of the weekend now.”
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Vasseur’s Team-First Directive: Team boss Frédéric Vasseur reiterated that while both men possess a fierce competitive drive, intra-team discipline remains non-negotiable:“The guidelines are always the same. They are two competitors with a fighting spirit for sure, but they need to have respect for each other. But, mainly and firstly, they need to respect the brand, the team, the people working at home, the people working on track… We failed collectively because we were one and two and we didn’t win the race at the end… The conclusion of the meeting yesterday evening was clear that it was a clear reminder that the Ferrari is coming first.”
Summary of the Ferrari Intra-Team Row
| Aspect | Details & Outcomes |
| Origin of Conflict | Mexico City GP: Leclerc attempted an aggressive overtake on polesitter Hamilton, running off-track, collecting a penalty, and handing the win to Max Verstappen. |
| Hamilton’s Accusation | Claimed Leclerc fought him harder than rival cars and actively worked against the team’s combined result. |
| Intervention | Team principal Frédéric Vasseur held a formal meeting at Interlagos to emphasize that the brand overrides individual driver rivalries. |
| Leclerc’s Assessment | Declared that “everything is settled” and that “too many things” had been said in the media. |
| Immediate Challenge | A difficult FP2 in São Paulo, which Leclerc described as having “one of the worst feelings I’ve had this year in the car.” |
Setup Struggles Ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix
Beyond the garage politics, Ferrari faces an immediate performance battle in São Paulo:
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Handling Woes in FP2: After handing his SF-26 over to Beganovic for the opening session, Leclerc struggled significantly during FP2, labeling the car’s baseline balance as among the most difficult of his entire season.
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Significant Overhauls Planned: Heading into qualifying and the Sprint, Leclerc confirmed the engineering crew would implement major setup revisions overnight to locate the missing raw pace and keep Ferrari in the hunt at Interlagos.
