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Guenther Steiner has told Fred Vasseur how he should deal with Charles Leclerc amid Lewis Hamilton’s bid for the world title.
Hamilton, 41, is looking to mount an unexpected challenge for an eighth Formula 1 world title after a drastic upturn in form at Ferrari.
Last year, Hamilton looked down and out following a tough debut season with the Scuderia. However, the seven-time world champion is clearly much more comfortable with the SF-26, and the results are backing that up.
In recent races, Hamilton scored back-to-back P2 finishes before securing his first win for the team in Barcelona. Following Hamilton’s victory in Barcelona, only 41 points separate him from world championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
On the other hand, Leclerc is going through a tough spell; he has failed to finish his last two races and is at risk of being left behind by his rivals.
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Fred Vasseur told it is ‘too early’ for team orders at Ferrari
Ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, where Ferrari are expected to bring an upgraded engine, ex-Haas team boss Steiner spoke about how Vasseur should deal with Leclerc and Hamilton.
While many people think Hamilton should be prioritised in order to be given the best chance to win the title, Steiner has urged Vasseur to ‘wait’.
The 61-year-old said that it is ‘too early’ for Ferrari to decide on a number one driver and they should not rush into a decision after just one race win for Hamilton.
Steiner explained on The Red Flags podcast: “What would Fred Vasseur do? What would I do if I were Fred Vasseur?
“I would wait, it was one race that Lewis won, yeah, he was faster in a few races now than Charles Leclerc, but it’s difficult. At this moment, I think he needs to let them race, both of them.
“Seriously speaking, you just need to see what is coming, what they can do. It’s too early to say, ‘Hey, Lewis, you are number one now, and Charles, you just back him up’, I think that’s too early in the season.
“That can happen after the summer break, but before the summer break, I think he needs to let them both go, just to make sure they get the best out of it for the team.
“What Fred Vasseur wants to do is win. He wants to win the constructor’s world championship, but it could be that after the summer break, they support whoever is in front if there’s a chance to win the driver’s championship as well.”
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Although the season is only seven races old, Ferrari need to allow Hamilton the opportunity to fight for a world title.
The SF-26 is capable of winning races, as Hamilton showed in Barcelona. And with upgrades expected in the pipeline, they could be pivotal in deciding whether the 41-year-old’s title challenge can be sustained.
Looking ahead, Austria has historically been one of Hamilton’s less favourable tracks, holding a worse qualifying record against his teammate than Lance Stroll.
If Hamilton does manage to win at the Red Bull Ring and Leclerc fails to stay close, Ferrari should really start prioritising the seven-time world champion, especially ahead of the British Grand Prix.
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