Ferrari enter talks with F1 over Lewis Hamilton-Charles Leclerc controversy

Hamilton, Vasseur, Leclerc, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

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Ferrari enter talks with F1 over Hamilton-Leclerc controversy

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were involved in controversy at the Chinese GP

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 25 March 2025 09:56

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has opened up talks with Formula 1 over a controversial incident at the Chinese Grand Prix involving the broadcasting of radio messages.

Midway through the race, Hamilton and Leclerc ended up swapping positions, after it was adjudged that Leclerc had more pace than his team-mate and therefore had a better chance of catching the leaders.

Leclerc went on to finish the race in fifth and Hamilton in sixth, before both drivers were disqualified post-race for different technical regulation misdemeanours, as confirmed by FIA checks.

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Speaking after the race but before the disqualifications were announced, Vasseur launched a scathing assessment of the way in which F1 decided to broadcast Hamilton and Leclerc's radio messages regarding their swapping of positions.

Vasseur alleged that they played the messages in a different order to how they actually came through as to create more drama.

"This is a joke from FOM [Formula One Management], because the first call came from Lewis - that Lewis asked us to swap," Vasseur told media after the race.

"But to make the show, to create the mess around the situation, they broadcast only the second part of the question. I will discuss with them."

Vasseur talks to F1 about Hamilton-Leclerc team radio

The Race have reported that FOM met with Vasseur to discuss his concerns and clarify the situation, with the matter now considered resolved.

"There was absolutely no intention of presenting a misleading narrative regarding the Ferrari team radio," an F1 spokesperson said in an official statement.

"Due to other situations developing during the race the message from Lewis was not played but this was not intentional."

Later in the day, Hamilton was disqualified for excessive wear on his skid blocks, while Leclerc was disqualified for his car being underweight in the aftermath of the race, as Ferrari's nightmare start to 2025 continued.

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Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Formula 1 Charles Leclerc Chinese Grand Prix Fred Vasseur