Max Verstappen has said Ferrari made a mistake by putting Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the same team, suggesting two lead drivers rarely work together.
The Red Bull driver's comments follow a clash between the Ferrari pair at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where they battled for position on the opening lap. Pole-sitter Hamilton was left furious when Leclerc cut a corner during an attempted overtake and failed to give the position back.
The incident handed victory to Verstappen, who passed Hamilton and held on to take the chequered flag. Leclerc received a five-second penalty, but Hamilton felt that punishment was too lenient and made his views clear over team radio.
Verstappen's Verdict on Ferrari's Line-Up
Speaking to Viaplay, Verstappen said he would not have put both drivers in the same team if he were in charge. He suggested Ferrari should prioritise one driver and drop the other.
"I've said it before, and a lot of people often don't agree, but if I was a team principal, I'd never get two 'No 1' drivers because then you get things like this," he said.
"One won't yield for the other because they both think they can win, and that's how I am too. And if I was a team principal, I'd change this."
Hamilton and Leclerc Clear the Air
Hamilton later insisted he had resolved the issue with Leclerc ahead of the race in Brazil, without the involvement of Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur.
"Me and Charles sat and spoke and we squashed it, and we're moving on," said Hamilton. "We still have a huge amount of respect for each other and I'm glad we had a chat and now we move on."
He added: "We've been getting along just fine as normal. Sometimes in those scenarios it takes having a conversation and there's been no demands from either side."
