Breaking: Lewis knew it, it’s clear in the contract’ — Ferrari boss confirms… See details

‘Lewis knew it, it’s clear in the contract’ — Ferrari boss confirms Hamilton vs Leclerc truth

Ferrari has finally made its position on the Lewis Hamilton–Charles Leclerc battle clear, with team principal Fred Vasseur revealing that the seven-time world champion knew exactly what he was signing up for when he joined the Scuderia.

The comments come after renewed tension between Hamilton and Leclerc following their dramatic opening-lap clash at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Hamilton was forced onto the gravel after the two Ferrari drivers battled through the first chicane, costing him several positions, while Leclerc later retired from the race. �

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Vasseur’s latest explanation is significant because Ferrari’s approach has not been to establish Hamilton or Leclerc as a permanent number-one driver.

According to Vasseur, Ferrari deliberately chose to operate with two number-one drivers, meaning both Hamilton and Leclerc entered the season knowing they would be given equal status.

“Lewis knew it,” Vasseur’s comments indicate, stressing that the arrangement was part of the understanding when Hamilton joined Ferrari. �

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That revelation adds another layer to Hamilton’s frustration after Monza.

Following the incident, Hamilton publicly questioned Ferrari’s lack of clearly defined rules and suggested that the team needed better “rules of engagement” between its drivers. However, subsequent reports confirmed that no new written rules had been introduced immediately after the clash. Hamilton and Leclerc instead met privately, discussed what happened and agreed to move forward. �

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Leclerc also acknowledged that, after reviewing the footage, he believed he had gone too far in the incident. Importantly, both drivers maintained that their relationship remained strong despite the on-track confrontation. �

Reuters

Vasseur’s position, however, appears unchanged.

Ferrari does not intend to permanently favour Hamilton simply because of his championship experience or status. The team will continue treating both drivers as equal competitors unless circumstances change dramatically.

There is, however, an important caveat.

Vasseur has admitted that Hamilton could become Ferrari’s priority later in the season if the championship situation reaches a point where he is clearly the team’s only realistic title contender. The same principle would apply to Leclerc if the circumstances were reversed. �

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That means Ferrari’s policy is not necessarily “never favour Hamilton.” Instead, the team’s current philosophy is equality first, with potential priority determined by the championship situation.

For Hamilton, that distinction could become increasingly important as the season develops. He remains in the title conversation, but the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli has grown, while Ferrari itself trails Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship. �

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The Monza controversy therefore appears to have exposed something deeper than a single racing incident: Hamilton and Leclerc are competing for the same Ferrari opportunities under essentially equal conditions.

And Vasseur’s latest comments make one thing particularly clear — Hamilton was not promised automatic number-one status when he arrived at Maranello.

The Ferrari boss has now put the responsibility back on both drivers to fight hard, protect the team and understand the framework under which they agreed to race together.

For Ferrari fans, the biggest question now is whether that two-number-one philosophy can survive further wheel-to-wheel battles as the championship pressure increases.