The Singapore Grand Prix closed with a podium for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and a sixth-place finish for seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton. On paper, these are reasonable results. However, during the race, Hamilton overrode pit wall strategy, costing Ferrari a double podium alongside Leclerc. Hamilton apologised after the race, but frustrations remain within the team.
This is just the latest in a string of clashes between Ferrari’s drivers and the pit wall. In Sepang, Hamilton refused to change tyres despite the pit wall’s insistence, and he ended up finishing third. In Monza, the two drivers nearly crashed on the opening lap, costing the Briton several positions. And in Zandvoort, team order problems led to frustration on both sides.
“I’m faster than Charles. My tyres are better,” Hamilton told his engineer, yet Ferrari delayed instructing Leclerc to switch positions. Leclerc also criticised the timing of his pit stop, claiming that it compromised his chase of the Mercedes cars.
These incidents demonstrate a core issue within the team: with two highly competitive drivers each chasing their own wins, Ferrari is failing to reconcile their interests with maximising team results. While most teams have a set first and second driver, Ferrari is in a difficult position. It has spent years shaping Leclerc to be its lead driver, and he is racing his eighth season with the team. Hamilton is the newer arrival, but with seven championships to his name, he is clearly the more experienced of the two. Ferrari is therefore left deciding whom to prioritise, with both options carrying similar drawbacks.
Prioritising one driver clearly over the other, when both have similar performances and potential, very quickly leads to distrust between teammates. Ferrari’s inability to balance the drivers’ needs also undermines its strategy. This became evident at the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix, when Leclerc’s race was ruined by the team’s inability to deviate from set race plans. This combination leads to a struggle to adapt to changing conditions, which then manifests in some of the team’s infamous radio messages, such as “It must be the water” and “We are checking.”
The lack of clear communication between the drivers and the pit wall is evidence of Ferrari’s internal struggle, and it is becoming more apparent as the season progresses. Ferrari’s strategy has always been a talking point in modern Formula 1, and now it has a lineup that demonstrates the problem for the world to see.
Photo by Talon-Kai Honeyman on Unsplash
