Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc have publicly declared that the friction that erupted at Monza has been resolved, after the Italian Grand Prix saw Leclerc force Hamilton into gravel at the first chicane and a subsequent crash two laps later. Hamilton finished sixth, while Leclerc was taken out of the race.
In a media‑day interview ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton said, “What’s great is that there was no shying away from having a discussion. We sat face‑to‑face, just him and I, and talked about it. We were just both open and honest, and we squashed it. We can move on.” He added that the maturity shown by Leclerc was a positive step for the team.
Leclerc echoed the sentiment, noting that “it definitely did not affect the good relationship that we have and it will not affect anything going forward.” He admitted he had gone too far in turn two and that the two had reviewed the incident together, stressing the importance of maintaining a strong partnership for Ferrari’s future success.
Both drivers acknowledged that Ferrari’s recent qualifying struggles over the past three weekends need to be addressed, with Hamilton saying the team must improve execution to avoid finishing fourth and fifth behind each other. He described the process as long‑term and complex, involving many people and entrenched culture.
While Hamilton and Leclerc move past the Monza episode, the season’s drama continues as Mercedes’ George Russell admits his title hopes are fading and Ferrari’s Kimi Antonelli remains focused on winning rather than championship standings.
With the Spanish Grand Prix approaching, the focus shifts to new circuits like the Madring street track, which Hamilton calls “massively challenging” and Russell calls “one of the most risky circuits” on the calendar.
