Racing
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Jolyon Palmer believes Fred Vasseur would have no realistic way to control Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc if Ferrari gives them an equal shot in a title-winning car.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, the former Formula 1 driver said the risk lies in the makeup of Ferrari’s line-up as much as in the car’s performance. “There's a bit of ego there as well, there's ego in everyone,” Palmer said, arguing that any genuine title contender has to think: “I'm the best, this is my title.” With Hamilton “a guy that's won seven” world titles and Leclerc “a generational talent that hasn't yet won one,” Palmer said neither profile lends itself to accepting a supporting role. “I don't think there's a way that Fred could manage it, if they're even on pace and they have the best car like that.”
That warning comes with some evidence already on track. Ferrari’s two drivers have touched twice this season in direct fights. After their contact in China, Hamilton described it as minor, saying: “I think there was one moment we did touch, but it was subtle, just a kiss. So it’s okay.” He went on to win that battle and score his first grand prix podium since joining Ferrari last season. In Japan, Leclerc attacked Hamilton for third, Hamilton tried to come back, and the pair touched again. Leclerc said: “We were very close. Then he attacked me again and we touched. I was scared I might have gotten a puncture.” Leclerc came out ahead in that duel.
Vasseur has so far been willing to let them race. The Ferrari team principal said there is “Huge respect for both of them,” adding that “They are professional” and that “it makes sense in this situation to let them race.” He also acknowledged the risk in real time, saying such decisions can “look completely stupid half an hour later,” before concluding that “at the end of the day, I think it’s also the best way to build up a team.”
Palmer’s argument is that a team boss has fewer real tools than people assume once a title fight turns personal. He pointed to Mercedes’ Hamilton-Nico Rosberg rivalry in 2016 and recalled Toto Wolff’s warning that “maybe we should have benched them for a race” as effectively the final threat available. In practice, Palmer said, those punishments are not workable. “You can’t put one reserve driver in. How unfair is that?” he said. “So these things are pie in the sky. They’re not doable when you’re actually in position.” With contracts and other commitments in place, he said, “Ultimately, if the characters are there, it’s unavoidable for a team principal.”
For now, Ferrari’s performance has kept the scenario theoretical rather than immediate. After four rounds, Leclerc sits third in the drivers’ standings, 41 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli, while Hamilton is fifth and another eight points back. Palmer’s point is that Ferrari’s current deficit has spared Vasseur from the harder test that would come if both of his drivers were fighting at the front together.