Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has not changed the racing rules between his drivers following their defeat in the Mexican Grand Prix.
Vasseur made his dissatisfaction clear after seeing his drivers lead the field away at the start of last week’s race, only to be beaten to victory by Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver gained the upper hand when the two Ferrari drivers went off fighting for the lead on the first lap.Lewis Hamilton accused Charles Leclerc of costing the team a one-two finish by challenging him too robustly at the start. Vasseur said he reminded the pair to put the team’s performance first.
“For sure, in this situation, we failed collectively because we were one-two and we didn’t win the race at the end,” he said. “That means it’s clear that we failed, and we have to react.
“But, yes, the conclusion of the meeting yesterday evening was clear. It was a clear reminder that Ferrari is coming first. It’s coming first for the brand, for the employees, for the Tifosi, and this, we have to keep it in mind.”
However he has not issued new instructions on how the pair engage with each other on the track. “The guidelines are still the same,” said Vasseur.
“I think they accumulated a bit of frustration because they are starting each weekend side by side and you have a kind of accumulation of facts. But at the end of the day, the guidelines are always the same, they need to respect each other.
“They are two competitors with fighting spirit for sure, but they need respect for the other one. But mainly and firstly, they need to respect the brand, the team, the people working at home, the people working on track.
“I think we are putting a lot of effort on this and the message was clear and will stay clear.”
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