Ferrari is entering the summer break in a delicate situation: Lewis Hamilton is in second place in the championship with 169 points, while Charles Leclerc is fourth, 31 points behind him.
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But the real problem for the Scuderia lies ahead of them. Kimi Antonelli leads the championship with a 50-point advantage over Hamilton with eleven Grands Prix still to go.
Since the start of the season, Hamilton has been the more consistent of the two Ferrari drivers. Leclerc has certainly won a race and secured four podiums, but his more inconsistent results have also caused him to fall behind George Russell in the standings.
The question is therefore starting to arise: should team principal Fred Vasseur now prioritize Hamilton?
Vasseur so far opposed to a hierarchy
In China, the French manager had clearly refused to impose orders intended to freeze the positions between his drivers: “I don’t want to ask them to keep their positions because I think that would have been unfair. I also think it’s the best way to build a team.”
This philosophy was perfectly understandable at the start of the championship. With eleven races to go and 50 points to make up on Antonelli, the situation is now different as we enter the second half of the season.
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Every lost point could become decisive. By letting Hamilton and Leclerc fight freely, Ferrari also risks seeing its two drivers lose time or positions while Mercedes currently holds the advantage in the championship.
Leclerc still remains in the race
Imposing a number one status on Hamilton right now would nevertheless be a difficult decision to justify. With only 31 points separating the two Ferraris, Leclerc also retains realistic chances in the championship.
Vasseur could therefore choose to maintain equality between his drivers during the first races after the summer break, before reassessing the situation. A premature hierarchy could also risk affecting Leclerc’s motivation, especially if Hamilton were then to experience several poor results.
Ferrari thus faces a delicate balance: letting its two drivers defend their chances as long as possible, while avoiding that this freedom makes it easier for Antonelli. With eleven races still on the calendar, no definitive decision seems urgent. But if Hamilton continues to extend the gap over Leclerc after the restart, Vasseur may soon have to choose which driver to focus the title chase on.
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