Vasseur concedes Ferrari drivers' Monza clash cost the team as title picture sharpens

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has conceded that the opening-lap clash between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza was damaging for the Scuderia, while stopping short of announcing any immediate change to the team’s free-racing policy.

Hamilton attempted to pass Leclerc after both drivers started from the second row of the grid. Leclerc defended aggressively at Turn 2, pushing his team-mate wide and forcing him into the gravel, which dropped Hamilton to 10th place. Leclerc later retired from the race after crashing at the Parabolica.

“I spoke to Lewis for two seconds and not at all with Charles,” Vasseur said during his post-race media session on Sunday. “We’ll have time to discuss that. I prefer to discuss with them first and not with you. For sure, the outcome of Turn 1-2 is not good for the team, if it’s the question.”

Vasseur acknowledged that the moment for imposing team orders may be approaching, but argued it had not yet arrived before Monza. He drew a parallel with McLaren’s situation last season, noting that backing Lando Piastri at an equivalent stage of the year would not have prevented Max Verstappen from winning the title.

“For sure, at one stage you have to take a decision, but I think it was too early to take a decision before Monza,” he said. “By definition, I would love to let them race all the weekend. Now, by reason, you have to take a decision at one stage. We will have to take a decision when we’ll decide.”

Leclerc himself acknowledged the incident had gone too far. “We went too far,” the Monegasque said after the race — words that were subsequently put to Hamilton, whose response was cut short before he could elaborate.

The episode adds pressure to Ferrari’s internal management at a critical point in the season. Hamilton has been the closer of the two Ferrari drivers to the championship leaders, fuelling calls from some observers for the team to consolidate its resources behind him. Vasseur’s comments suggest that conversation is now firmly on the table, even if no formal directive has been issued.