Jenson Button’s thoughts on Lewis Hamilton at McLaren are now really interesting, especially with all the talk about Ferrari and Charles Leclerc.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are expected to have a chat with Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur before this weekend’s Brazil Grand Prix, following what happened in Mexico City. Jenson Button might have already summed up what Vasseur will want to say.
Hamilton wasn’t happy with Leclerc after his Ferrari teammate tried to overtake him on the outside right at the start of the Mexico City race. Leclerc went off track and gained an advantage, likely carrying too much speed into the corner. He took the lead but then got a five-second penalty. Hamilton felt Leclerc’s move cost Ferrari a one-two finish, especially since Hamilton also went off track at the same corner but rejoined safely, only to be overtaken by Max Verstappen.
Hamilton repeated his thoughts about Leclerc during his press conference in Sao Paulo. Autosport reports that Vasseur will hold a frank talk with both drivers before Sunday’s race at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. Ferrari has faced similar situations before and knows how to handle them.
Back in 2011, Jenson Button had an incredible win at the rain-soaked Canadian Grand Prix. He had to pit five times, got a drive-through penalty, and was last with more than half the race done. On the final lap, he passed Sebastian Vettel for the lead after Vettel went off track. But earlier in that race, on lap 7, Hamilton tried to pass Button but ended up hitting the inside wall after Button squeezed him. Hamilton had to retire due to damage but Button wasn’t punished since the stewards felt it wasn’t intentional, and Hamilton agreed Button probably just didn’t see him in the poor visibility.
What Button said after that race could help Ferrari manage the situation with their drivers now. He called Hamilton “one of the best drivers Formula One has ever seen,” even though Hamilton had only won one of his seven titles at the time. Button also said he respected Hamilton more because they had always given each other enough space on track, which is exactly what Ferrari wants Hamilton and Leclerc to do.
“Lewis is always in the headlines because he’s really good,” Button told The Guardian. “He’s a fighter and a racer, which makes it exciting to race against him. We’ve raced a lot this year and last, and we’ve never even touched each other because we respect each other and give each other room. That’s a great way to be.”
Clearly, another clash like last weekend won’t help Ferrari as a team. After the Mexico City race, Vasseur called the incident a “lack of respect” for the team, the brand, and everyone working hard behind the scenes. Hamilton agreed, saying that every choice a driver makes affects the whole team.
Leclerc did say a few words about the incident after the race but wasn’t around for press duties since he was welcoming his first child in Monaco. That means only Hamilton, Vasseur, and some Ferrari staff will hear Leclerc’s full side of the story in their upcoming meeting.
Whatever they decide, one thing’s clear: Ferrari will need to make some changes to avoid problems like this in the future.