John Watson claims Todt-linked 'faction' shields Leclerc as Hamilton fights for Ferrari status

In that clash, Hamilton started from pole, his first for Ferrari. Leclerc was given a five-second penalty, Max Verstappen won the race, Hamilton finished second and Leclerc fourth. The incident has led to days of debate over who really holds the power in Maranello, a theme GPblog explored earlier this week in Elkann reportedly irritated by Hamilton-Leclerc clash as Ferrari return to scene of 'talk less' rebuke.

Speaking on the Drive to Wynn podcast, Watson said Ferrari's internal politics favour the driver who has been there longest.

Watson added: "Lewis, the seven-time world champion, came to Ferrari thinking he would be given more respect, but Leclerc wants to be the next Ferrari world champion. Lewis likewise has, but I think Leclerc is well-embedded, as is his management group." These are Watson's own views. Ferrari has not confirmed that any such factions exist.

It comes amid a post on X that claims Leclerc and Vasseur occupy a seat on an investment company, generating plenty of social media comments. Again, neither party has confirmed the accusation.

Jean Todt led Ferrari to dominance in the Michael Schumacher era and later spent more than a decade as FIA president. His son Nicolas has managed Leclerc since the Monegasque was a teenager. Nicolas Todt also has a long professional relationship with Fred Vasseur, as the two co-founded the ART Grand Prix organisation more than two decades ago.

This is not the first time questions have been raised about the Todts' influence. When Leclerc began to overtake Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari in 2019, Nicolas Todt rejected the idea. "Charles is with Ferrari because he delivers on the track, which I think is undeniable," he told Motorsport-Magazin.com at the time.

Leclerc's contract helps explain why he is seen as so firmly embedded. Ferrari extended his deal before the Monaco Grand Prix this year. The team only said he would stay for "the coming seasons".

Hamilton's deal has never been made public. He said at this year's Canadian Grand Prix that he was committed until at least the end of 2027, and GPBlog understands that he also holds a unilateral option for 2028.

Vasseur met both drivers in Sao Paulo on Thursday evening. Afterwards he said the guidelines remain the same: the two drivers must respect each other and put the team first.