Damon Hill argues Ferrari faces internal political problems and masked rifts
Despite Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur downplaying intra-team friction and insisting that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc left a private meeting in Brazil joking together, 1996 Formula 1 champion Damon Hill believes the Scuderia is concealing a severe internal divide. Speaking with Sky Sports F1 following the recent triple-header, Hill cautioned that Ferrari is struggling with deep-seated political issues rather than operating as a unified front, warning that internal factions appear to be forming around each driver.
According to Hill, this friction has been catalysed by Hamilton’s resurgence into race-winning form during the 2026 season. While sceptics had questioned the seven-time champion's motivation after years of uncompetitive machinery and the lingering trauma of the 2021 Abu Dhabi title decider, Hamilton has completely reset his competitive edge. Hill observed that the British driver had effectively been crushed since that 2021 defeat, but instead of treating his move to Maranello as a retirement tour, he has rebuilt himself and performed far better than anticipated, ultimately splitting loyalties within the Italian outfit.
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