Though Ferrari System 1 group principal Frederic Vasseur spoke to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on Thursday night in Sao Paulo to clear the air, a unprecedented quantity had already been mentioned and written in regards to the Ferrari conflict in Mexico.
When Max Verstappen was requested for his opinion in Brazil, the Pink Bull driver indicated that he primarily sees the incident as a consequence of Ferrari’s driver line-up. With two captains on one ship, such issues are sure to occur, the Dutchman informed Viaplay.
“In case you merely had one clear primary and one clear quantity two, they’d have gone by that nook in first and second, and they’d have completed first and second as properly. Or possibly first and third, however that is high-quality too. As a group, you are still scoring good factors,” Verstappen mentioned.
Based on Leclerc, the incident in Mexico was largely associated to the structure of Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, however Verstappen sees it primarily as affirmation of a philosophy he has held for a while – together with when pondering from a group principal’s perspective.
“I’ve mentioned it earlier than,” he continued. “Individuals fairly often disagree with me, but when I had been a group principal – if I had my very own group – I’d by no means signal two number-one drivers, as a result of you then get this.
“Then that is regular. One is not going to provide method to the opposite, due to course they each suppose they will win, and that is how I’m too.
“So if I had been a group principal, I’d by no means go for 2 number-one drivers. Some folks utterly disagree with that, however that is high-quality as properly.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Yuri Cortez / AFP through Getty Pictures
When requested whether or not he particularly takes this into consideration when making his personal profession decisions in F1 – for instance, when selecting a group or signing a brand new contract – the four-time world champion continued: “Typically you won’t have a selection in that both, however [having two lead drivers] does make every thing extra sophisticated.”
Verstappen believes {that a} aggressive automobile is all he must get the job accomplished. The Dutchman not too long ago made that clear as soon as once more by referring to the 2023 F1 season, during which his personal factors tally alone would have been sufficient to win the constructors’ championship.
“When you’ve got an excellent automobile, then you do not essentially want that both, two number-one drivers. Only a first rate quantity two,” he added. “All through System 1 historical past, it is also at all times been clear that one thing like that works completely properly, even for years.”
With these ultimate phrases, Verstappen was not simply referring to his personal profession, but in addition to Hamilton, who confronted little resistance from Valtteri Bottas throughout most of his title-winning years at Mercedes, and Michael Schumacher with Rubens Barrichello alongside him at Ferrari.
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– The Motorsport.com Staff