Ferrari boss Vasseur on Hamilton/Leclerc: “That’s the most important thing for them”

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have each won one Grand Prix for Ferrari in 2026 – Hamilton in Barcelona and Leclerc at Silverstone. In their qualifying head-to-head, Charles leads 7–4, whilst in the races (where both drivers finished), Lewis has the edge, leading 6–3.

In an interview with our colleagues at AutoHebdo, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur spoke about the dynamic between the two exceptional drivers from Britain and Monaco.

Vasseur says: “A significant part of a racing team’s competitiveness stems from the rivalry between the two drivers. That’s true for us, and also for Mercedes and McLaren, though somewhat less so for Red Bull Racing. But McLaren and Mercedes are in the same situation as us – one driver is faster one weekend, the other the next.”

“The key thing must always be that both drivers respect the team, just as we respect them. They must behave properly. I see two drivers who work closely together, but who spur each other on out on the track.”

“Our progress is also down to the fact that the two of them out there always give 100 per cent, on every lap. Being ahead of their team-mate is the most important thing for them, even in a free practice session.”

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