Can Ferrari finally sort out its on‑track antics? One recurring issue this season is the team’s inability to turn practice speed into qualifying results, compounded by the drivers constantly getting in each other’s way.
More often the friction shows when Leclerc and Hamilton fail to cooperate during opposite‑strategy battles, even forcing each other into gravel, as seen on the opening lap of the Italian Grand Prix.
Leclerc and Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth at the United States Grand Prix on the COTA circuit, where the uphill left‑hand Turn 1 is a notorious bottleneck. Last year, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided there in the sprint, handing Max Verstappen an easy win.
Starting from fourth and fifth keeps the Ferraris apart on the grid, yet they still converge into Turn 1 as the pack squeezes in. Vasseur reportedly held private talks after Monza, but Leclerc said no explicit rule governs COTA’s first corner.
“No, we know what the line is not to cross,” he said.
“And again I think we’ve got some occasions throughout the year where I’ve crossed it, Lewis has crossed it, and we don’t want to see that – so this is clear,” he added.
The Monza incident mirrors last season’s McLaren drama at COTA: a packed field funnels onto a single racing line, and a driver makes a bold cut‑back to claim space as if the rival weren’t there.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari; Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Piastri had overshot the corner and tried to recover, only to be clipped by Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber while cutting back, which spun him into Norris. The key was that he placed himself in danger with other cars bearing down.
The Monza clash hurt Ferrari less because both cars kept going, but it began with Hamilton positioning his car to force Leclerc off the corner, prompting Leclerc to shove Hamilton onto the outside kerb instead.
It was stubbornness on both sides, yet Hamilton voiced the grievance more loudly, making Vasseur’s job of calming the team tougher. The concern here is that internal tensions could spill over into performance. Vasseur stayed silent publicly, though his demeanor hinted frustration after Singapore, when Hamilton ignored a pit‑stop order during a virtual safety car.
Whatever the mood inside Ferrari, COTA isn’t a venue for team tactics even if the drivers wanted to cooperate. In Singapore they could slow the field together, but COTA’s open layout prevents that.
Both drivers still have a mathematical shot at the title, though Leclerc’s chances are slimmer. He hasn’t ruled out collaboration, but remains non‑committal.
“Teamwork is always important,” he said.
“I don’t think on a track like this there’s anything like Singapore where you can slow another team down. Staying clear of each other is always beneficial, wherever we race,” he added.
Photos from F1 United States GP – Sunday
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– The Team