Verstappen: Ferrari clash shows why I'd never sign two No.1 drivers

Max Verstappen says the Ferrari collision between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc is exactly why he would never pair two No.1 drivers. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur spoke to both drivers in Sao Paulo on Thursday evening to clear the air after Mexico, but Verstappen's view has sharpened the debate over how Ferrari manages its star line-up.

Why it matters:

Ferrari signed Hamilton to challenge for titles alongside Leclerc, creating a high-risk dynamic. The Mexico flashpoint showed how quickly two drivers with the same ambition can turn a strong team result into a costly argument.

The details:

• Verstappen told Viaplay that with a clear No.1 and No.2, Ferrari would have passed that corner first and second - or first and third - and still scored well.
• Leclerc put the incident largely down to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez layout. Verstappen sees it as proof that two drivers who both believe they can win will not simply yield.
• 'If I were a team principal, I would never sign two number-one drivers,' Verstappen said, calling the tension normal and hard to control.
• He added that two lead drivers complicate career decisions, though drivers sometimes have no choice in the pairing.
• Verstappen cited 2023, when his points alone would have won the constructors' title, as evidence that a dominant car and a decent No.2 can be enough. He also pointed to Hamilton with Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes and Michael Schumacher with Rubens Barrichello at Ferrari.

What's next:

Vasseur's talks may cool Ferrari in the short term, but the core issue remains. Hamilton and Leclerc must prove they can race as equals without another costly flashpoint - or Ferrari may have to impose a clearer hierarchy.