Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that there are still no formalized team rules governing on-track conduct between Ferrari’s drivers following their recent collision at the Italian Grand Prix. The two drivers held a meeting in the days after the Monza race in an effort to address the incident and ease tensions ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Last Sunday, Charles Leclerc forced Hamilton off the track at turn two, sending the seven-time world champion onto the gravel and damaging his race prospects. Shortly afterward, Leclerc himself crashed heavily on lap three, further hampering Ferrari’s overall performance at their home event. Hamilton ultimately finished sixth, a result that all but ended his hopes of mounting a championship challenge against leader Kimi Antonelli, who staged a remarkable recovery from 19th on the grid to take victory.
Speaking ahead of the race at the new Madrid circuit, Hamilton emphasized his preference for clear, team-sanctioned guidelines similar to those he experienced during his time at Mercedes. “There was not [clearly defined rules discussed],” Hamilton said when asked if Ferrari had established protocols for driver interactions since Monza. “Right now I’m just trying to focus on having a better weekend this weekend. I’m sure at some stage we’ll discuss how we can be better, but we’ve not had a lot of time — you can’t change things in two days.”
Leclerc acknowledged responsibility for the clash at turn two, admitting he “went too far” and expressing confidence that future conduct would be clearer. “I think it’s very clear what we should do or should avoid going forward,” he said ahead of Sunday’s race. However, his remarks suggested a relatively broad approach centered mainly on keeping both cars within the track limits, rather than detailed instructions.
This contrasts with other teams such as McLaren, where drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri operate under privately specified parameters—known colloquially as “papaya rules”—that delineate acceptable behaviors and minimize on-track disputes. Ferrari has yet to implement similarly structured guidelines, leaving some uncertainty about how the team will manage intra-team competition moving forward.
As both drivers prepare for the Spanish Grand Prix, the absence of formal rules at Ferrari raises questions about managing driver dynamics and ensuring optimal team performance amid the ongoing championship battle.