Jolyon Palmer’s verdict on the Scuderia’s two drivers is blunt.

“It seems to me that the Ferrari duo are so keen to beat each other that, at times, it’s been detrimental to their overall results,” he wrote in his analysis of the team’s 2026 season.

The intra-team spats keep piling up, and team principal Frédéric Vasseur has so far declined to put a lid on them. He has publicly rejected Hamilton’s push for a written set of rules of engagement, telling reporters that “they are professional, they did very well and it’s good for the team, good for F1 and I prefer to stay like this,” according to Formula1.com.

Hamilton overrides the Singapore strategy call

In Singapore, Hamilton was running third behind Leclerc when a Virtual Safety Car was triggered by Lance Stroll pulling off with a suspected clutch issue. Ferrari told Hamilton to follow his teammate into the pits. He ignored the call, stayed out, and dropped to sixth after being passed by Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the closing laps.

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Hamilton later apologised to the team and called the gamble “a painful lesson”. Palmer thinks the motive is clear.

“I wonder in Singapore how much of Lewis’ decision-making was because of his desire to do something different to his teammate in order to beat him.”

Leclerc accepts blame for the Monza clash

The next incident Palmer flags is the second-corner tangle at the Italian Grand Prix, where Hamilton dived down the inside at the Turn 2 chicane and Leclerc then pushed his teammate onto the gravel at the exit.

Leclerc took the blame when the dust settled, admitting to Autosport that the move at Ferrari’s home race had crossed a line.

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“After reviewing, we spoke with Lewis, I obviously know I went too far in Turn 2 and I said it to Lewis and I think it’s very clear what we should do or should avoid going forward.”

Zandvoort hands Russell a podium

The clearest example of the two drivers getting in each other’s way came on the final lap at Zandvoort, where both were still within range of George Russell’s Mercedes for third.

“In Zandvoort on the final lap, Leclerc had an impossible look down the inside at Turn 6 which derailed the pair’s chances of fighting Russell for the podium,” Palmer wrote.

Hamilton finished fourth, Leclerc fifth. Leclerc crossed the line 0.849 seconds behind Russell and 0.503 behind his own teammate.

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Austin is the next flashpoint

The United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas is round 18 of the 2026 championship and is scheduled for 25 October, with qualifying the day before.

Vasseur has conceded that Ferrari may yet have to prioritise Hamilton over Leclerc “at one stage” before the end of the season, according to Racingnews365. Austin is where that decision gets its next test.

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