Vasseur: I prefer having two strong drivers than not

Ferrari have always avoided having two lead Formula 1 drivers in their lineup, always having a number one driver with the number two in the supporting role.

That was the case with Michael Schumacher and his teammates (Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa), then Fernando Alonso later on with Felipe Massa and the same applied on Sebastian Vettel with Kimi Raikkonen, that is before Charles Leclerc joined in 2019.

Leclerc and Vettel was the first driver lineup potentially considered as two lead drivers at Ferrari, but the German's career with Ferrari was in its twilight and the power shifted towards the Monegasque whos was treated as the chosen one.

When Carlos Sainz joined Ferrari replacing Vettel, the Spaniard made sure he was not treated as a number two driver, which coincided with an apparent shift in mentality within the Scuderia as they seemed to manage their drivers on a race to race basis supporting the one with better form, especially early in any given season, and that is until one of them emerged as a favorite based on his Championship position.

With seven-time F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton now heading to Ferrari in 2025, the focus will be on how the dynamic between him and Leclerc pans out, especially of the Maranello squad continued improving becoming Title contenders next years.

Vasseur was quizzed whether their was a risk that Hamilton and Leclerc will trip over each other, he said, quoted by Motorsport.com: "I don't think so, because I think you have a kind of mutual benefit into the team, and we are getting probably more points with two drivers than with one and a half.

"This is a positive move from the performance point of view, and part of our result today is also coming from the fact that we have a good emulation between Carlos and Charles - that they are pushing each other.

"As soon as one is a step down, the other one is there to get results and he is waking up the first one. It's like this if you have a look from the beginning of last year.

"I am really convinced that I prefer having two strong ones than not," Vasseur insisted. "For sure, you can imagine the fact that you have two drivers and a potential of points for the team you are speaking about two.

"But I am sure that the potential of points for the team with two good drivers is much higher than with one and a half. That's my view," the Frenchman concluded.

Last time Hamilton was challenged by a teammate was between 2014 and 2016 with Mercedes where Nico Rosberg fought with him for the Championship as they were in the dominant car with rivals failing to challenge them.

That relationship was a nightmare for Mercedes to manage and ended with Rosberg retiring in 2016 after beating Hamilton to the F1 Title that year.