Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that tensions with his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc have been resolved following a contentious incident at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. The collision disrupted both drivers’ races and intensified rivalry between the two title contenders.
The incident occurred on the opening lap, when Leclerc made contact with Hamilton, pushing the seven-time world champion off the track. The resulting damage caused Leclerc to crash into a wall, while Hamilton dropped significantly down the order. The weekend proved frustrating for Hamilton, who publicly expressed his displeasure with Leclerc’s move and criticized Ferrari’s strategic choices, particularly their decision not to prioritise Hamilton’s championship pursuit.
Hamilton’s stumble at Monza left him 76 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli despite a late charge culminating in a victory in Italy. Acknowledging that the title challenge is now unlikely, Hamilton said the duo held a productive conversation with Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur earlier this week to address the incident.
“I spoke to Fred on Monday and we just had a clearing out discussion,” Hamilton said. “Naturally, we can always have different opinions but, at the end of the day, we come together and find a way forward. The communication has been really great. We all sat down afterwards to squash it and move on, so nothing lingers.”
However, Hamilton noted that he has yet to receive the “rules of engagement” he requested for how teammates should race one another on track. He emphasized that unlike other front-running teams, Ferrari does not currently have formal agreements in place regarding driver conduct during races. With the Spanish Grand Prix imminent, he indicated there was insufficient time to establish such guidelines before the weekend.
Hamilton commented, “I’m sure at some stage we’ll discuss how we can be better, but we’ve not had a lot of time to turn around. You can’t change things in two days. It’s not something we can change into this weekend.”
Leclerc also acknowledged the incident and described their relationship as strong despite the clash. “We spoke with Lewis. We’ve always had a great relationship. I have a lot of respect for Lewis. I told him, in Turn 2, I didn’t behave the way I should have and the way a teammate should,” he said.
As the Formula One season continues, observers will watch closely to see how the dynamic between Mercedes and Ferrari drivers evolves, especially given the narrowing margin in the drivers’ championship battle.