Former IndyCar Series driver and F1 TV pundit James Hinchcliffe has argued that Ferrari is "happy" to manage the escalating intra-team rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, insisting it is exactly what the Maranello outfit wanted when it signed the seven-time champion.
After struggling in his first season with Ferrari in 2025, Hamilton bounced back in 2026, having adjusted to the team and gelled with the new set of regulations. He secured his first grand prix podium with the Fred Vasseur-led team at the Chinese Grand Prix and his first win at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.