Martin Brundle and Nico Rosberg have warned Ferrari over tensions between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc following their on-track clash at the Mexican Grand Prix, with Brundle cautioning that another disagreement between the team-mates is only a matter of time. The relationship between the drivers has faced heightened scrutiny during the 2026 season amid multiple tense moments on circuit, and the confrontation in Mexico has raised further questions about Ferrari's ability to manage two highly competitive drivers pursuing their own ambitions. While Brundle expects the Scuderia to promise improvements ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, he doubts those assurances will prevent another incident, viewing the issue as larger than an isolated racing dispute.
The latest flashpoint occurred shortly after Sunday's race start in Mexico. Hamilton started from pole position, but Leclerc mounted an aggressive challenge into Turn Four and ran across the grass, cutting the corner to emerge ahead of his team-mate. The exchange proved costly for Hamilton when Max Verstappen subsequently overtook the Ferrari, leaving the seven-time world champion down in third position. Hamilton voiced his frustration over team radio, while stewards handed Leclerc a five-second penalty that subsequently became another source of grievance for Hamilton. The British driver also openly criticised the circumstances surrounding the battle, suggesting that Leclerc's actions had cost the team a potentially valuable one-two finish, as Hamilton questioned Ferrari's internal management after the race.
Brundle on Driver Instincts and Responsibility
Brundle believes Leclerc should have surrendered the position to Hamilton after gaining an advantage by leaving the circuit, though Verstappen's presence between the two Ferraris complicated matters. Brundle explained that Leclerc could not hand the place back because Verstappen had squeezed between them, just as the Red Bull driver had attempted earlier in the year in Madrid. Discussing the incident on Sky Sports, Brundle noted that drivers can find it challenging to balance team responsibilities against individual instincts, operating and being measured as individuals while representing a team. When adrenaline runs high and an opening appears, competitors instinctively attack, yet he believes there must be limits when two drivers represent the same organisation.
For Brundle, the wider issue is the organisational impact on Ferrari, remarking that clashes do not look good for the team, similar to when Lando Norris collided with Oscar Piastri in the Singapore sprint race, and let down 1,500 employees. He observed that while drivers are only the final link in the chain, they must perform in the heat of the moment, meaning Ferrari will have to get the situation under control. Both competitors are expected to fight for wins, but individual ambitions cannot consistently come at the expense of championship objectives. Brundle expects Ferrari to bring both drivers together to discuss the matter before Brazil, yet he remains unconvinced that assurances will hold, asserting that while the team will say it will not happen again, in reality it will.
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Rosberg on Driver Agreements and Trust
Rosberg, who knows Hamilton well after competing alongside him at Mercedes, believes Ferrari could be approaching a dangerous point in its relationship with its drivers. Speaking as a Sky Sports expert after Mexico, the German cautioned that disagreements managed through internal talks could eventually spill onto the circuit. For Rosberg, the more significant issue is the possibility that trust between the drivers is beginning to break down. Ferrari depends on competitors respecting mutual agreements, particularly when fighting for victories, but when one driver believes those arrangements are disregarded, frustration can quickly develop into a much larger problem. Rosberg warned that things will only get really bad if drivers take matters into their own hands, ignore discussions, settle disputes on track, and push each other wide, warning that this can happen quickly and is in a way already happening.
