Charles Leclerc/Sebastian Vettel rivalry can cause ”escalation within" Ferrari

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes that the increasing rivalry between Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel can cause “an escalation within the team” similar to when the Silver Arrows had Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

At the Singapore Grand Prix Leclerc had won the previous two races in Spa and Monza and qualified on pole for the third time in a row.
 
Looking comfortable in the lead to go and secure his third straight victory Ferrari pitted Vettel ahead of the Monegasque from third, which in the end gave the German the lead after Leclerc emerged behind after his stop.
 
The four-time World Champion went on to win with the 21-year old voicing his unhappiness about the situation over the radio.
 
Mercedes have been in a similar situation Hamilton and Rosberg battling it out against each other on track and their relationship diminishing but the partnership between the Brit and Valtteri Bottas looks a lot better for the team.
 
Wolff said to Motorsport.com: "I think always two alphas competing for position has the potential for a rivalry, and an escalation within the team.

"We've been there and I think today as a team we're very strong with a clear philosophy.”

With Vettel and Leclerc trading positions and results Wolff sees the positives in that they are making it harder for them to get closer to Hamilton and Bottas.

"On the positives, they [Leclerc and Vettel] keep taking points away from each other, which is an advantage, but I don't want to look at points at that stage,” Wolff added.

"It's about optimising what we have, winning races and doing the best you can, and we didn't do that [in Singapore]."