Leclerc, Hamilton Declare Ferrari Tensions a 'Closed Chapter'

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have moved past their Mexico City Grand Prix flashpoint, calling it a “closed chapter” after clear-the-air talks with Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur on Thursday evening in São Paulo. The teammates went off track while fighting for the lead on the opening lap in Mexico, handing the initiative to Max Verstappen, and Hamilton later questioned Leclerc’s “do or die” approach.

Why it matters:

Ferrari cannot let a teammate rivalry become the story of its season. Hamilton and Leclerc are both aggressive front-runners, and their collisions—Mexico this year, Monza earlier—had raised questions about how the team manages two champions. A public truce shifts attention back to performance.

The details:

• Hamilton said the meeting was simple: “We sat and spoke and we squashed it and we’re moving on.” He denied either driver asked for preferential treatment.
• Leclerc said the fallout “took proportions that are way too big,” adding that disagreement is normal between drivers who want to beat each other.
• Leclerc’s week included flying from Mexico to Monaco for the birth of his daughter, Bianca, then returning to Brazil. He said having her in his arms put the dispute in perspective before Thursday’s talks.
• Both took engine penalties for Sunday’s São Paulo Grand Prix. Leclerc qualified fourth but starts 14th; Hamilton starts 20th after Ferrari changed a wholesale set of power-unit components.

What’s next:

The truce faces an immediate test. Starting outside the top ten, both Ferrari drivers must carve through the field without repeating the kind of flashpoint that turned a race lead into a team crisis.