Oscar Piastri warning as Ferrari pressed on Hamilton, Leclerc team orders decision

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has admitted that the team may be forced to favour Lewis Hamilton over Charles Leclerc “at one stage” before the end of the F1 2026 season.

Yet he pointed to Oscar Piastri’s late-season collapse in 2025 as evidence that it is too early to make a decision, claiming Max Verstappen would have been world champion last year if McLaren had favoured Piastri over eventual title winner Lando Norris.

Ferrari uses Oscar Piastri example over lack of team orders

Leclerc and Hamilton ran close together into the opening chicane at Monza on Sunday, with Hamilton losing places after being shown to the outside of the track at Turn 2, grazing the gravel in the first place.

Hamilton recovered to finish sixth come the chequered flag in Italy on Sunday, but Leclerc suffered an early retirement after a hefty impact at Parabolica, running wide on exit and being sent into a spin at speed.

It marked a difficult day for Ferrari at its spiritual home, though the Italian fans in attendance went home celebrating victory for one of their own as Kimi Antonelli rose from 19th on the grid to become the first home winner at Monza since 1966.

Hamilton now sits 36 points clear of Leclerc in the drivers’ championship, but Ferrari’s hopes of challenging Mercedes are dwindling as Antonelli now holds a 76-point lead over the Briton.

As for whether Ferrari will force its drivers to hold position moving forward, Vasseur highlighted the example of McLaren maintaining its ‘papaya rules’ policy through the year, with a significant points swing having taken place between Piastri and Norris.

“For sure, the outcome of Turn 1 and 2 is not good for the team, if it’s the question,” the Ferrari team principal told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets.

“Now, to see if we have a team order or whatever, I think that the good comparison that I made was that, last year, Piastri was leading McLaren at this stage of the season, and if McLaren put everything on Piastri, Max Verstappen would have been champion.

“For sure, at one stage you have to take a decision, but I think it was too early to take a decision before Monza. Now, we have time to discuss with the guys.”

More analysis from the Italian Grand Prix

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Elsewhere, Mercedes froze its battle between Antonelli and George Russell mid-race, in order for its drivers to build a gap to the chasing Verstappen behind before racing resumed later on.

Asked about a similar situation at Ferrari, Vasseur added that the goal of every team boss would be to allow its drivers room to race, but that may not always be possible.

“For a team, for sure it’s never good to lose points. This is clear,” Vasseur reasoned.

“Now, basically, at the beginning of the season, I think every single team principal in the world would love to let them race. To freeze position when we are the team principal, don’t imagine that it’s an easy choice.

“You do it for the team, you do it for the reasons at the end, but it’s never an easy call. By definition, I would love to let them race all the weekend.

“Now, by reason, you have to take a decision at one stage. Each team is different, we will have to take a decision when we’ll decide.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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