(Motorsport-Total.com) – Charles Leclerc has taken responsibility for the incident with Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton in turn 2 at Monza, but at the same time criticized the media for making internal team disputes seem bigger than they are compared to other teams.
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It was tight between the two Ferrari drivers at the start of the Formula 1 race. Already in turn 1, Leclerc left Hamilton little room on the inside, and in turn 2 the Englishman wanted to drive on the outside line but was slightly pushed into the gravel by Leclerc because he ran out of space, causing Hamilton to lose several positions.
“It is absolutely clear that we never want to see a car from the same team in the gravel,” says Leclerc, admitting a mistake: “I am fully aware that I went too far in turn 2, and I told Lewis exactly that,” said the Monegasque. “I think it is completely clear what we should and should not do in the future. However, I do not want to go into further detail about our conversation.”
The Ferrari driver emphasizes that the incident “definitely does not strain” the good relationship between him and Hamilton and that nothing will change in the future. “That is really the most important thing for me,” he says. “Of course, I know: We drive for Ferrari – and if there is one race where something like this must not happen, it is Monza.”
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Asked about the hard maneuver earlier in turn 1, Leclerc waves it off and prefers not to say anything. “Otherwise, it feels again – and I know that this is not your ill intention – as if we were just exchanging poison arrows with Lewis in the coverage, which is simply not the case,” he clarifies.
“The most important thing is that we have clarified the situation. We talked, I explained my view to Lewis, he explained his to me. And I think, in hindsight – when speaking without the emotions of the race – we completely agree in our views.”
Leclerc believes that such things happen in motorsport and will happen again: “It is certainly not the last time, simply because such things occur in motorsport – especially when you start so close to each other so often,” he says. “But it is definitely a situation we do not want to find ourselves in again. That is just as clear to Lewis as it is to me.”
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At the same time, the Monegasque thinks that such a topic is given much more weight at Ferrari than at other teams. There were also internal frictions at other racing teams like Mercedes and McLaren in Monza, but according to him, Ferrari made the headlines. “In the end, only Lewis and I are talked about,” he says. “I don’t think that’s quite fair.”
“Of course, I do not want to downplay the course of events. As I said: It is unacceptable if Lewis ends up in the gravel. But in fact, the whole thing is elevated on a much bigger pedestal with us compared to the other two teams,” he laments.
“I did not follow the whole race, but there were duels at two other teams at the front, and there was not nearly as much noise around them. When you drive for Ferrari, something like this simply causes much bigger waves – especially in Monza. But as I said, this is not meant to trivialize anything, and something like this simply must not happen again.”
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Positive exchange between Hamilton and Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton also does not want to overestimate the internal team frictions with Leclerc: “Just look at the history of the sport. This has happened before, it is no big deal,” he refers to other media-effective “feuds” in big Formula 1 teams.
It is important to him that there was an open exchange with Leclerc and team principal Frederic Vasseur on Monday after the race, which was said to be “very positive.” “Naturally, you sometimes have different opinions, but at the end of the day, we sit down together and find a way forward,” he says.
“That exactly shows the positive development we have made in the last roughly 15 months. We have reached a point where internal communication works extremely well – and that applies equally to me and Charles.”
The seven-time world champion also finds it “great” that no one avoided the conversation. “We sat down face to face – just him and me – and spoke frankly. We were both completely open and honest and have put the issue behind us. We can leave it behind,” he emphasizes.
For him, this especially shows Leclerc’s maturity and the healthy relationship both maintain at the Scuderia. “Of course, there will be frustrations and I am sure it will get tight more often because we are extremely close in speed. We both want to win just as much and both want to get the best out of the team. But I see it entirely positively.”
Still no real rules
On Sunday shortly after the race, Hamilton had criticized that there was “no we” and that certain rules of engagement were missing at Ferrari in duels, which were even written down at Mercedes.
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That will not change for the time being, because there was no agreement on so-called “Rules of Engagement” in talks with team principal Vasseur. However, Hamilton will not push for it: “At the moment, I am just focusing on having a better race this weekend,” he says.
“I am sure that at some point we will talk about how we can improve, but we did not have much time now for the switch to the next race. You cannot change something like that in two days.”
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