Things are about to get spicy at Ferrari. Fred Vasseur has signalled he's now willing to consider team orders after the Italian Grand Prix, marking a significant shift in his stance on how the Scuderia manages Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc's championship battle. The Ferrari boss was reluctant to implement them earlier in the season, but with Hamilton's lead growing and tension boiling over at Monza, Vasseur reckons the time might finally be right to have that conversation.

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The flashpoint came on the opening lap at the Temple of Speed when Hamilton and Leclerc clashed through the first and second turns. Hamilton attacked up the inside into Turn 1, but Leclerc shuffled him out onto the gravel at the next corner, dumping the seven-time champion back to tenth. It was a bitter pill for Ferrari strategically, and things got worse when Leclerc crashed heavily at the Parabolica the following lap. Vasseur wasn't ready to dissect what happened straight away though, telling media he needed to sit down with both drivers first before drawing any conclusions.

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Hamilton's been vocal about wanting Ferrari to back him in his quest for a record eighth drivers' championship, but he's currently 76 points behind after finishing sixth at Monza. The British driver made it clear post-race that he thinks the time for team orders has already passed. He's been calling for clearer rules of engagement, especially after his collision with Leclerc, but he's not convinced it matters now anyway. According to Hamilton, any decision to prioritise him is coming far too late in the season.

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Vasseur sees things differently though. He reckons now is actually when team orders should be considered, not before. The Ferrari principal pointed to last season's McLaren situation, where if the team had fully backed Oscar Piastri early on, Max Verstappen would've wrapped up the championship. But Vasseur felt making that call before Monza was premature. Now, with the calendar compressed and the championship picture clearer, he's ready to discuss what Ferrari's strategy will be going forward with both Hamilton and Leclerc.

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