Ferrari’s Hamilton and Leclerc Dilemma: Who Gets Priority?

Ferrari’s costly clash between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the Mexico City Grand Prix raises questions about team orders, driver priorities and how to avoid losing future victories.

Lewis Hamilton brought Ferrari home in second place in Mexico after starting from pole. Photo: Scuderia Ferrari HP / Ferrari Media Centre.

Ferrari had a great opportunity at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton started from pole position, while Charles Leclerc moved into second. But their battle at Turn 4 changed everything. Both drivers went wide, Leclerc crossed the grass, and Max Verstappen took advantage.

What looked like a possible Ferrari victory ended with Red Bull winning. Hamilton finished second, while Leclerc dropped to fourth after receiving a five-second penalty.

For me, the biggest problem isn’t the result itself. It’s how Ferrari manages two drivers who both believe they can lead the team.

Who Should Be Ferrari’s No. 1 Driver?

Hamilton arrived at Ferrari in 2025 as a seven-time world champion. Leclerc had already spent years with the team and was considered an important part of its future.

Neither driver wants to play a supporting role, and their results show why this is such a difficult decision.

After Mexico, Hamilton has 259 points and Leclerc 245. Both have won one Grand Prix this season. Leclerc leads their qualifying head-to-head 10-9, while Hamilton has the same advantage in races.

I don’t think Hamilton should receive priority simply because of his seven titles. The same goes for Leclerc and his experience with Ferrari.

Instead, the team should make decisions based on who has the better chance of winning each race.

Mexico Exposed Ferrari’s Biggest Problem

The opening lap showed how quickly things can go wrong. Ferrari had both cars at the front, but the fight between Hamilton and Leclerc gave Verstappen an opportunity.

Hamilton eventually finished less than a second behind the winner. We can’t know whether Ferrari would have won without the incident, but it certainly lost a valuable advantage.

Leclerc admitted that his penalty was deserved, while team principal Frédéric Vasseur said the situation would be discussed internally.

I believe Ferrari should have established clearer rules before the race.

Similar questions had already appeared at Zandvoort, where Hamilton questioned the lack of team orders, and in Singapore, where a strategy decision involving Hamilton created another difficult situation.

What Ferrari Can Learn From McLaren

McLaren faced a similar challenge with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in 2025. Both drivers won seven Grands Prix, and Piastri led the championship for more races, although Norris eventually secured the title.

McLaren allowed them to compete for much of the season but recognized that team orders could become necessary.

Ferrari should take a similar approach. Hamilton and Leclerc should be free to race, but not when their battle puts a possible victory at risk.

The Norris-Piastri collision during the 2026 Singapore Sprint showed that even McLaren continues to face this problem.

Ferrari doesn’t necessarily need a permanent number one driver. It needs clearer decisions, better communication, and rules that both drivers understand.

Mexico was a reminder that having two competitive drivers is an advantage only when the team knows how to manage them.

Ferrari Mexico City GP Photo Gallery

What should Ferrari do now?

Kimi Antonelli has already secured the 2026 drivers’ title, so Ferrari cannot justify a permanent hierarchy by saying it is still chasing that championship. It can still fight for wins and protect its place in the constructors’ standings. My answer is straightforward: allow Hamilton and Leclerc to race when the team’s result is safe, then give priority in each race to the driver best placed to win. If one has a penalty, damage, or clearly less pace, Ferrari should act before the argument reaches the radio.

Ferrari has two great drivers, but that does not remove the need for difficult decisions. Mexico made the point clear: to fight the other teams, Ferrari first has to set limits for its own cars.