Ferrari need to find a solution for their Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc problem.
Damon Hill has told Ferrari they have to make one of their drivers the undisputed number one if they are to avoid further costly squabbling on track. The issue is the main talking point in Formula One right now, after Ferrari threw away what should have been a comfortable win in Mexico City last Sunday. Lewis Hamilton qualified on pole for a Grand Prix for the first time since joining the Scuderia, but it all fell apart on lap one as team-mate Charles Leclerc made a bid for the lead himself.
He went off track and came back on with the lead but also a penalty which, when served, handed the win to Max Verstappen who had taken advantage of the Ferrari infighting to also get ahead of Hamilton. The Brit was furious, as was team principal Frederic Vasseur who accused his drivers of a lack of respect for the team.
The situation has again highlighted that Ferrari do things differently than other top teams. While Hamilton was used to having pre-defined rules of engagement with his Mercedes team-mates, no such agreements exist at Ferrari.
Leclerc defended his right to go for the lead, while Hamilton accused his team-mate of having a ‘do or die’ attitude which cost the team. In reality, Ferrari operate without a chosen number one driver and neither of them wants to be outshone by the other.
Ferrari are trying to resolve things in-house. Leclerc has been back in Europe for the last few days after the birth of his daughter and only arrived in Sao Paulo in time to take part in the second practice session of the weekend on Friday, so talks have not been possible up to now.
That is changing, with Vasseur getting both his drivers in the same room to air out their concerns in Brazil this weekend. It is unclear what the Frenchman’s proposed solution will be, but it is highly unlikely to be a change of tack regarding their decision not to name a number one driver.
Yet, that is what 1996 world champion Hill thinks should happen. The 66-year-old believes Ferrari should prioritise Hamilton in order to avoid fighting on track, despite the fact Leclerc is the longer-serving driver with a new long-term contract to continue to race for the Scuderia in the future.
“Here is where I stand on the Lewis v Charles debate, and I made this point in my commentary on [BBC Radio] 5 Live Sport on Sunday in Mexico,” Hill wrote on X. “Make Lewis number one Ferrari driver. Sort it out. Make it clear. Ends all debate. Lewis will deliver for Ferrari. If they back him 100 percent.”
Naturally, such a bold solution proved to be a divisive one among the fans commenting under the post. Some agreed, including one who said Hill was “100 percent right”, and another who felt it was the “common sense answer”. A third wrote: “It’s a very simple and sensible approach… why else pay the money for a seven-time world champion?”
But others were not convinced. One pointed out: “I get the point, Damon, but would that not risk p****** off yor long-term number one driver (Charles) because Lewis is only a short-term option?” Several others also feel the performance and results of the two Ferrari drivers has been “way too close” this season for the team to choose one over the other.
In any case, Vasseur has made it clear it has been a conscious choice made by the team to not give priority to one of their drivers over the other. “We’ve chosen to have two number one drivers, two drivers capable of winning races, with this approach of serving both drivers equally. It’s a choice we make with the drivers,” he said in September this year.
“They know very well, when they come to us, that’s how it is. Lewis knew it. It’s clear in the contract. It’s a strategic choice. Some teams decide to have a number one driver and a number two driver, while others decide to have two number one drivers. Both have advantages and disadvantages. We stand by our philosophy. Everything is based on respect.”