'I’m not asking them to be best friends’– Vasseur confirms Hamilton and Leclerc talks after Mexico battle

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur has insisted he is not asking Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to be “best friends” after holding talks with the pair following their on-track battle at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

The Scuderia drivers went wheel-to-wheel during the opening lap at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with the team ultimately missing out on a potential one-two finish after Leclerc received a five-second penalty for the incident involving his team mate Hamilton.

The Briton called for discussions over the rules of engagement between drivers ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with Vasseur confirming during Friday’s Team Representatives’ press conference that a meeting had taken place the previous evening.

“We spoke yesterday evening because I had to fly back to Europe between the two races," Vasseur explained.

"It went well. It was good to discuss things and clarify my position and their positions. Now we turn the page and focus on the next one.

"I think they've accumulated a bit of frustration because they're starting each weekend side by side, and you have an accumulation of incidents. At the end of the day, the guidelines are always the same. They need to respect each other. They're two competitors with a fighting spirit, but they need to respect one another.

“Mainly, and firstly, they need to respect the brand, the team, the people working at home and the people working at the track. We're putting a lot of effort into this, and the message was clear and will stay clear."

Vasseur also made clear that Ferrari's interests must remain the priority, acknowledging that the team had collectively fallen short after failing to convert its strong position in Mexico City into victory.

“We failed collectively because we were one-two and didn't win the race in the end," the Ferrari boss added. "The conclusion of the meeting yesterday evening was clear. It was a reminder that Ferrari comes first, for the brand, for the employees and for the Tifosi."

Asked whether managing Hamilton and Leclerc was proving particularly challenging, Vasseur pointed to Ferrari’s recent form and the benefits of having two closely-matched drivers, despite the potential for tensions to rise.

"For sure, we have two experienced, competitive guys," he said.

"It's now four or five races in a row that we've been at the front, scoring the highest number of points after Monza and Madrid. You have an escalation because they both want to win races. I think that's probably the downside of the system. We have two competitive guys starting each weekend next to each other.

"But we are P2 today, because we have two guys who are very close, and we have to manage it. It's a choice in the line-up, and has positives and negatives. But I will deal with the negatives."

Vasseur was also questioned about the relationship between Hamilton and Leclerc, and whether he was concerned by Hamilton’s insistence that he would not be silenced following the events in Mexico.

"I was clear with Lewis, and I'll keep that between Lewis and myself," he responded.

"You can't compare the relationship between Carlos [Sainz] and Charles, Charles and Lewis, or Lewis and Valtteri [Bottas] in the past. They have different personalities.

"I'm not asking them to be best friends. I think that would probably even be a bit negative. I'm just asking them to act and work as professionals, and that's it."

The Frenchman further emphasised the importance of putting Ferrari’s employees first when pressed on whether consequences had been established should similar incidents occur in the future.

"We had a discussion, and it has to stay private. It's a matter of respect for them and for the team," he said.

"We're working for a brand, for sponsors, but mainly for the employees of the team. We've had a good recovery in terms of performance. We came back after Madrid in much better shape, and that's due to the work of the people at home. As a team, we all have to keep this in mind. It's not due to the wind. It's due to the work of the employees of the company."

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff also weighed in on the situation, drawing parallels with the infamous rivalry between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg during their time together at the Silver Arrows.

"It's like déjà vu because you asked me exactly the same questions for so many years, and then Nico called it a day," Wolff said.

"Sometimes, when you put two strong drivers in, the best ones have edges and they want to win. That's a situation that's always very difficult to cope with, particularly under the media spotlight when those cars are racing at the front. I can relate to what Fred is going through at the moment.

"Sometimes it needs a really tough incident to make a point. When I was there with Nico and Lewis, whenever there was an accident, it was understood that this was the limit and it wouldn't continue like that.

"It's about respect for the team – the many thousands of people and the brand they work for. That's what they need to keep in their heads."