Clear-the-air talks reset Scuderia ahead of São Paulo GP
Vasseur’s Thursday meeting resets Ferrari ahead of São Paulo Ferrari’s São Paulo Grand Prix weekend has opened with a message of unity. Charles Leclerc has confirmed that his differences with teammate Lewis Hamilton are settled following clear-the-air talks with team principal Fred Vasseur.
Leclerc spoke after Friday practice at Interlagos, in his first public comments since the meeting. He accepted that the previous week had brought too much attention to the team, then drew a line under it. According to Formula1.com, he said that everything is settled and that he is looking forward to the rest of the weekend.
The statement carries weight because it comes from a driver at the centre of the dispute rather than from the team alone. Ferrari’s driver and its team principal now tell the same story: the issue has been discussed, the positions are clear and the focus has returned to the track.
Timing matters in a case like this. The dispute followed the Mexico City race and had to be addressed before Ferrari could give its full attention to a new race weekend. By speaking openly at Interlagos, Leclerc gave the team an opportunity to reset the story and shift the conversation back to performance.
How the Mexico City Clash Between Ferrari Drivers Unfolded
The meeting was a response to the opening lap of the Mexico City Grand Prix, where Leclerc and Hamilton fought wheel-to-wheel. Both cars ran wide at Turn Four in the battle for the lead, and Leclerc received a five-second penalty for the incident involving his teammate.
The consequences were costly. Ferrari had a potential one-two finish within reach, but the fight opened the door for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who went on to win the race.
Hamilton was sharply critical afterwards. He said Ferrari needed “serious talks” to prevent a repeat, and he asked for discussions about the rules of engagement between its two drivers. Those demands shaped the agenda for the meeting that followed.
Opening-lap contests between teammates are among the most sensitive situations in the sport, because the stakes are high and the space is limited. In Mexico, the penalty, the lost one-two and Hamilton’s public criticism combined to make the episode difficult for Ferrari to ignore.
Vasseur Sets Out Ferrari’s Rules After Thursday Meeting
Vasseur confirmed that the discussion took place on Thursday evening, explaining that he had to fly back to Europe between the two races. He described it as a good meeting that clarified his position and the drivers’ positions, and he said the team would now turn the page and concentrate on the next race.
Crucially, the team’s guidelines have not changed. Vasseur acknowledged the frustration that builds when two competitive drivers regularly start side by side, yet he insisted that they must respect each other. In his view, that respect extends beyond the pair to the Ferrari brand, to the people working at home and to the staff at the circuit. The message, he said, was clear and will stay clear.
He also accepted collective responsibility. Ferrari, he said, had failed collectively by leading one-two and still not winning. The conclusion of the meeting was a reminder that the team comes first, for the brand, for its employees and for the Tifosi.
Vasseur was equally direct about expectations. He is not asking Hamilton and Leclerc to be best friends, only to act and work as professionals. The standard is demanding but simple: fierce competition is welcome, provided it never comes at the expense of the team.
That balance is familiar in elite motorsport. Vasseur described both drivers as competitors with a fighting spirit, and he did not suggest that the team wants them to race with less determination. His request was narrower: that the intensity of the fight stays within limits the team can support.
Leclerc’s Emotional Week After Daughter Bianca’s Birth
The reconciliation came during an unusually personal week for Leclerc. He arrived late in São Paulo after he and his wife, Alexandra, welcomed their first child. Their daughter, Bianca, was born on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and the couple announced the news in a joint Instagram post captioned “Bianca 🤍 3.11.26.”
Leclerc called becoming a father the most special thing ever and said the week had been all about Bianca. Because of the timing, he missed FP1, where rookie Dino Beganovic deputised, and returned to the car for FP2.
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Ferrari’s Pace Problem Remains After Friday Practice
On track, Friday was difficult. Hamilton and Leclerc finished sixth and seventh fastest, and Leclerc conceded that Ferrari have “plenty to work on” as the team searches for performance at Interlagos.
He described FP2 as one of the worst feelings he has had in the car this year and said he would make significant changes to his SF-26 overnight. The comment shows how quickly his attention has moved from internal discussion to car balance and speed.
Their results illustrate the scale of the task. Sixth and seventh is below what a team with a one-two finish in reach a week earlier expects. Leclerc’s planned overnight changes are the first visible step in that direction.
For Ferrari, the immediate priority is clear. The team has restated its expectations of both drivers, Vasseur has confirmed that the guidelines are unchanged, and Leclerc’s words suggest the message has been received. The real test will arrive when the cars are racing close together again.
Leclerc heads into the rest of the weekend with a settled relationship, a newborn daughter and a car that needs improvement. Ferrari now turns to the São Paulo Grand Prix, where results rather than rhetoric will show whether the peace holds.