Verstappen explains the Ferrari mistake he would never make as a team boss
Photo: Race Pictures
Kieran is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs and feature content across the F1 calendar. An NQJ-qualified journalist with more than a decade of experience, he has previously written for publications including MailOnline, the Manchester Evening News and the Eastern Daily Press.
Max Verstappen has said he would never put two number-one drivers in the same team if he were a team principal as he addressed Ferrari's equal-status approach to their drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
The Red Bull driver made the comments to Dutch broadcaster Viaplay, as he reflected on his victory in Mexico City where he benefitted from the fight involving the two Ferrari drivers.
Hamilton started from pole in Mexico, but Ferrari lost a potential 1-2 when Charles Leclerc attempted a move around the outside of the seven-time world champion. Both drivers ran off wide and Verstappen took the win after Leclerc was handed a five-second penalty.
Verstappen says equal status means neither driver backs down
Verstappen was asked during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend how he saw Ferrari's situation without a clear number one.
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He answered bluntly: "I've said it before, and a lot of people often don't agree, but if I was a team principal, I'd never get two number one drivers because then you get things like this."
He also said he understands the instinct behind the clash, because he shares it. "One won't yield for the other because they both think they can win, and that's how I am too," Verstappen said.
He believes a clear hierarchy would have protected Ferrari's result. He said: "If you simply had one clear number one and one clear number two, they would have gone through that corner in first and second, and they would have finished first and second as well." He added that even a weaker outcome would have been acceptable: "Or P1 and P3, that's fine too, because as a team you're still scoring great points."
Ferrari stick with their rules despite Brazil setback
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Ferrari have shown no sign of agreeing with him. After meeting both drivers in Sao Paulo, Fred Vasseur confirmed the team's guidelines had not changed and that Hamilton and Leclerc would carry on racing as equal number ones.
Hamilton said the matter was closed. "Me and Charles sat and spoke and we squashed it, and we're moving on," he told Sky Sports F1. Brazil did little to settle the debate. Leclerc and Hamilton finished eighth and ninth at Interlagos, so Ferrari left with just six points.
Leclerc moved aside for Hamilton during the race, but at a time when the British driver was far quicker than the Monegasque in the opening stint of the race. Leclerc ultimately finished ahead of Hamilton after the Brit missed the opportune moment to pits for intermediate tyres when the rain returned.
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