Vasseur promises tough talks: This is disrespectful to the brand and all its employees

Ferrari threw it away again. No, the team did not have the performance this year to threaten Kimi Antonelli’s title-winning campaign, but if it wants to challenge for any title in future, it simply cannot afford to throw away so many points. A one-two was there for the taking in Mexico, but instead the team disappointed once again, this time through an unwillingness to co-operate, particularly on Charles Leclerc’s part.

The Scuderia once again had an excellent car this weekend. The factory in Maranello is clearly capable of producing a race-winning machine, and the two thousand employees in Maranello certainly deserved a winners’ trophy for their efforts this weekend. Qualifying went well for the team and, at a circuit where overtaking is almost impossible, it all came down to execution. Once again, though, individual egos got in the way — or, in this case, perhaps it would be more accurate to say one individual’s ego.

Exiting the first chicane, Ferrari was on course for its first one-two since the 2024 United States Grand Prix, but at the second chicane it all collapsed. Lewis Hamilton defended very robustly against an optimistic move around the outside by Charles Leclerc. Both drivers went off the track, with Max Verstappen lurking in the perfect position to capitalise on another Ferrari failure.

Max passed Hamilton at that very corner, and a five-second penalty for Leclerc did the rest. As this is not Ferrari’s first failure of this kind, some very difficult discussions should follow. Team principal Frédéric Vasseur, whose job includes managing his drivers’ behaviour on track, also found himself under considerable pressure.

After the fiasco, the Frenchman promised to address it. “I find it very difficult to accept because, frankly, I think it’s a lack of respect. A lack of respect for the brand, for everyone who works here and for all the effort we’re putting in,” Fred said after the race.

“We’ve made a real step forward in terms of performance, and I think throwing away a victory like that is very hard to accept,” added Vasseur.

But what should happen next? Should Ferrari ban its drivers from racing each other altogether? Leclerc and Hamilton are clearly very evenly matched for pace, so it is only natural that they are often close together on track. Vasseur, however, remained impassive and was unwilling to criticise Leclerc.

“I don’t want to single anyone out,” he stated firmly. “I want to speak to both of them. Lewis was also running very wide, but I think we have to remember that we represent a brand, we represent our sponsors, and there are 2,000 people working behind the scenes to support us.”

“They’re not simply racing for the sake of racing. They’re racing for the entire team,” said Vasseur.

When Ferrari fans replay the whole race in their minds, it still seems hard to believe. Both Ferraris started on the clean side of the grid, seemingly had the best pace of anyone and briefly ran first and second, yet they ultimately finished second and fourth.

“When you start first and third in Mexico, where there haven’t been any overtakes in 72 years, you don’t expect to finish second and fourth! They have to remember that they’re representing a brand!” Vasseur reiterated.

“There will be less time to talk about it. We’ll have those discussions tonight and tomorrow morning, and then we’ll turn our attention straight to Brazil and focus on achieving a better result,” the Ferrari boss concluded.