Vasseur relieved after Ferrari reset: ‘They left my room joking'

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur admits to feeling relieved after his sit-down in Brazil with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with tensions eased and hopes that peace between his drivers will last.

Following the pair’s opening-lap clash in Mexico earlier this month, the pressure within the Scuderia had become an increasingly uncomfortable talking point.

With both drivers having plenty to be frustrated about during Ferrari's difficult campaign, the prospect of further friction was hardly welcome.

But Vasseur is encouraged by what happened behind closed doors in Sao Paulo on Thursday evening, insisting that a frank conversation helped restore a more constructive atmosphere before the weekend's racing even began.

And judging by the absence of further disagreements over team orders or on-track incidents at Interlagos, the intervention seems to have delivered the desired result.

Vasseur hopes Ferrari's reset will last

Speaking after Sunday's race, the Ferrari chef revealed that the discussions had gone considerably better than perhaps some might have expected, with Leclerc and Hamilton leaving his office on friendly terms.

"Honestly, we had a good discussion on Friday. We cleared the situation," Vasseur explained. "I think we did a good reset on the mindset, and they left my room joking together."

For a team that has endured its fair share of internal tension this season, that was an encouraging development, although Vasseur knows that maintaining the newfound harmony will require continued cooperation.

"It's good, and I hope the things will last and stay like this, but we had a good meeting on Thursday," he added.

There was also a lighter side to Vasseur's post-race media appearance, as the team principal demonstrated that not every stressful moment in his life necessarily involves a Ferrari strategy call.

• Read also: Verstappen delivers blunt verdict on Ferrari's driver pairing

Asked to identify a particularly tense episode during Sunday's race, including the lap on which it occurred, Vasseur delivered an unexpected response.

"No, no, no, guys. This is 6:30, it's when I did my sport," Vasseur deadpanned, referring to his morning workout. "And then I made a mega lap. No confusion. The conclusion is that I'm much more stressed when I'm doing sport."

It was a typically dry response from the Frenchman, but perhaps also a sign of a team boss who was enjoying a little less tension for once.

Ferrari still has plenty to resolve on track, but getting Leclerc and Hamilton back on the same page is a meaningful step towards finishing the season on a more positive note.

Vasseur has secured the reset he wanted. Now he will be hoping it survives the next inevitable flashpoint.

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