Quite a few figures inside the world of Method 1 have been calling for Ferrari to implement crew orders and get Charles Leclerc to again Lewis Hamilton within the struggle for the drivers’ championship.
Hamilton, after a troublesome 2025, has received the higher of Leclerc thus far in 2026, successful their first race of the season in Barcelona and sits 39 factors forward of the Monegasque. Nevertheless, Leclerc is eager to get again on prime forward of Hamilton andhis victory in Silverstone was a return to kind.
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Jolyon Palmer mentioned Leclerc might be a “nice asset” for Hamilton within the title struggle, whereas the likes of 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve and former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley have additionally backed requires Ferrari to again Hamilton over Leclerc.
GPblog takes a have a look at how early Ferrari have used crew orders in previous title battles and it means for Hamilton and Leclerc.
Michael Schumacher was the clear Number one at Ferrari
Photograph: Race Photos
Photograph: Race Photos
When Michael Schumacher joined Ferrari in 1996, it was clear from day one which he was to be the popular driver to struggle for world championships when he was teammates with Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichello and Felipe Massa.
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It was just about set out that every of his teammates must play second fiddle to Schumacher from the start of the season, although it was extremely uncommon that they might match his unimaginable tempo.
Essentially the most well-known instance got here on the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, the place Barrichello, main comfortably was instructed to yield to Schumacher, which the Brazilian determined to do as late as doable, simply earlier than the ending line. This transfer drew enormous backlash from followers and contributed to the FIA’s non permanent ban on crew orders.
Group orders didn’t assist Ferrari in 1999. Irvine was a uncommon case in that he obtained crew orders in favour of Schumacher, however solely when the German returned from a damaged leg. Earlier within the season, Irvine needed to play crew orders to Schumacher and was advised to remain behind the German when he struggled on the French Grand Prix. If Irvine had completed forward of Schumacher, it might have allowed them to change locations on the closing race in Japan and provides the Ulsterman the drivers’ championship.
Ferrari abandon crew orders for Massa vs Raikkonen
It was a change of tactic in 2007 and 2008, a transfer that in the end might have value Kimi Raikkonen the championship in 2007 and likewise performed a consider Massa dropping the 2008 championship.
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In 2007, Ferrari solely determined to play crew orders after Massa was successfully dominated out of the championship after his DNF in Monza. The Brazilian performed a giant half as he led the season decider at his dwelling race, and performed a superb crew sport as Raikkonen handed him within the pitstops. By ending second, Massa denied Fernando Alonso the championship, as Lewis Hamilton might solely end seventh.
In 2008, the 2 drivers have been once more in a position to race equally and took factors away from one another. After Raikkonen’s crash in Belgium, it successfully meant that Massa could be the one to take the struggle to Hamilton. Raikkonen allowed Massa to move for second on the penultimate race in China, which nearly resulted within the Brazilian successful the championship as he misplaced out by only one level.
Alonso will get the Schumacher remedy
The 2010 season featured one among Ferrari’s most controversial team-order moments. On the German Grand Prix, Massa led Alonso when engineer Rob Smedley delivered his well-known radio message: “Fernando is quicker than you. Are you able to verify you understood that message.” Ferrari have been fined €100,000 for breaching sporting rules, in the end main the FIA to elevate the official ban on crew orders on the finish of the 2010 season.
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However when Alonso joined in 2010, it was clear that Massa wouldn’t get the equal remedy that he did alongside Raikkonen, although to Ferrari’s defence, Alonso had a supreme tempo benefit over the Brazilian in contrast to Raikkonen.
Group orders not strongly enforced since 2015
Group orders have been hardly ever used throughout Sebastian Vettel’s partnership with Kimi Raikkonen, when the German joined the crew in 2025. There was specific shock that Ferrari didn’t power Raikkonen to concede second to Vettel within the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix, which might have strengthened Vettel’s lead of the championship. Ferrari determined to take the method that crew orders wouldn’t be used till a sure level was reached as to a driver being clearly the one one who might contend for the championship.
That appeared to vary in 2019 when Charles Leclerc joined the crew, as Ferrari issued orders for the Monegasque to carry place in Austria and yield place to Vettel in China. Nevertheless, Ferrari struggled to compete for the championship in 2019 and with Leclerc’s place as a rising star, crew orders weren’t typically used after China.
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Ferrari briefly regarded like they might mount a championship problem in 2022 after Leclerc’s shiny begin to the season. Nevertheless, that problem rapidly fell away and Ferrari in the end didn’t must implement crew orders for a title struggle.
When can Hamilton count on to obtain crew orders?
Photograph: Race Photos
Photograph: Race Photos
Hamilton has a 39 level hole to his teammate Leclerc behind and is barely 32 factors behind championship chief Antonelli. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely that any crew orders can be applied till the purpose that’s clear Leclerc can not win the championship.
All it takes is one good consequence for Leclerc subsequent day trip in Belgium and one unhealthy race for Hamilton and the hole between them might be a lot smaller than it’s now. Leclerc has struggled in 2026 however it’s not utterly out of the query that he might have the higher of Hamilton in the course of the the rest of the season.
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Ferrari took a special method underneath the Schumacher and Alonso years, however to their defence, it was additionally clear that they have been the one drivers who might win the championship within the years they contended for the title.
