Ferrari told the time has come to make ruthless Hamilton decision

A debate has emerged within Ferrari following the Dutch Grand Prix after Hamilton repeatedly called for his team-mate to give up the position, with the two drivers running different strategies. Hamilton ultimately lost several seconds while stuck behind Leclerc, a delay that proved decisive in the battle for the podium, which eventually remained in George Russell's hands, also helped by the late Virtual Safety Car.

Speaking on the Red Flags Podcast, Steiner explained that Ferrari cannot simply introduce team orders in the middle of a race, arguing that such a decision needs to be discussed and agreed upon beforehand. He also questioned how realistic Charles Leclerc's title chances are compared to Hamilton's.

He believes Ferrari should ultimately back whichever of its two drivers has the strongest chance of winning the championship. With Hamilton currently ahead of Leclerc, Steiner argued that the seven-time world champion should therefore be given priority, even if that means making it clear to the Monegasque that his team-mate is now the team's number-one driver.

Finally, Steiner made it clear that he believes the responsibility for such a decision should rest with Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur rather than chairman John Elkann. According to Steiner, determining how the team handles its two drivers is part of Vasseur's role, particularly with Ferrari fighting for the ultimate prize.

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes Charles Leclerc created a dangerous precedent within Ferrari by ignoring the team's instruction to pit during the Dutch Grand Prix. According to the Colombian, Leclerc effectively showed he was prepared to disregard team orders when he disagreed with them, potentially creating unnecessary tension within the team.

Montoya does not believe Hamilton would have secured the podium regardless, but feels Ferrari denied him the best possible chance. With Hamilton gaining around half a second per lap, he believes Leclerc should have been given a clear target: find the necessary pace within two laps, let Hamilton through or pit.

Instead, Ferrari eventually called Leclerc into the pits, only for the Monegasque to stay out. Montoya nevertheless played down concerns over the relationship between the two Ferrari drivers, arguing that disagreements between team-mates are a perfectly normal part of Formula 1 and that their relationship does not necessarily reflect the harmonious image seen on social media.