Ferrari F1 boss confirms Hamilton vs Leclerc truth - 'Lewis knew it, it's clear in the contract'

Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Hungary, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

Ferrari F1

'Lewis knew it, it's clear in the contract' - Ferrari boss confirms Hamilton vs Leclerc truth

Ferrari are sticking to their guns

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Thursday 17 September 2026 08:56 Updated: 09:00

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Ferrari will continue to operate with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc as joint number one drivers, and according to team principal Fred Vasseur this is something the seven-time world champion knew from the moment he signed on the dotted line at Maranello.

Ferrari have been the talk of the paddock in recent races, with Hamilton and Leclerc getting into multiple scuffles in recent rounds despite the former being closest to championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

At the Dutch Grand Prix, the two Ferrari stars got in each other's way when Hamilton came up behind his team-mate on much fresher tyres. Ferrari ordered Leclerc to pit, but he initially refused to do so, costing Hamilton crucial time and a Zandvoort podium.

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Then, at the Italian Grand Prix, the Ferrari duo lined up on the second row for lights out in search of a home win for their team, but raced aggressively against each other in the first two corners, resulting in Hamilton going off track and losing several places. Leclerc later conceded the pair went too far, but Hamilton was adamant there was no 'we'.

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Fred Vasseur: Not time for Ferrari to prioritise Hamilton

All of the above led to Hamilton criticising the team and Vasseur for not setting clear rules on how the two go racing, adding that it was now 'too late' to prioritise him and his championship chances after Monza.

Hamilton then slipped even further behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli in Madrid last weekend, with the Brit now trailing the young Italian by 101 points.

Still, even before the gap got that large, Vasseur was adamant that Ferrari were not set to prioritise the seven-time champion.

“I don't think so,” Vasseur told L'Equipe when asked ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix if it was time to choose a number one driver this season.

“The best example of that is what happened last year. [Oscar] Piastri had a 30-point lead over [Lando] Norris. If McLaren had chosen Oscar, it would have been Max [Verstappen] who could potentially have won the title," he responded.

Hamilton knows Ferrari have two number ones

Vasseur continued, explicitly stating that Ferrari have two number one drivers for strategic reasons, and that is something that Hamilton knows because it is written in his contract.

“I'll let you in on something," Vasseur added. "We've chosen to have two number one drivers, two drivers capable of winning races, with this approach of serving both drivers equally. It's a choice we make with the drivers.

“They know very well, when they come to us, that's how it is. Lewis knew it. It's clear in the contract. It's a strategic choice.

Vasseur says Hamilton knew what he signed up for.

"Some teams decide to have a number one driver and a number two driver, while others decide to have two number one drivers. Both have advantages and disadvantages. We stand by our philosophy. Everything is based on respect."

Strangely, though, Vasseur went on to concede that Hamilton could indeed be the team's number one by the end of the year if he is their only contender for the championship, which now feels like a long shot.

"He might be by the end of the year if, at some point, we find ourselves in a situation where it's clear he's the only contender," Vasseur concluded. "And that applies to both drivers."

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Simmey Hannifin Donaldson - F1 Editor

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F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Charles Leclerc Fred Vasseur