Charles Leclerc says he doesn’t understand “who is forcing the narrative” of a rivalry with Ferrari Formula 1 team-mate Lewis Hamilton after their clash at the Italian Grand Prix.
Hamilton and Leclerc came to blows on the first lap of Ferrari’s home race at Monza when he sent an aggressive lunge up the inside of Leclerc at the first corner, only to be forced off onto the gravel by his team-mate as they exited the chicane.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton dropped down to 10th and claimed Leclerc had “pushed me off”, before the Monegasque crashed out of fourth place at the end of the second lap, blowing Ferrari’s hopes of a victory challenge on home soil early on.
Leclerc appeared to suggest that the media is pitting the Ferrari drivers against one another.
"I don't really know who is forcing that narrative that we are one against the other,” Leclerc said. “I mean, honestly, Zandvoort, there was way too many talks already.”
Leclerc’s Zandvoort remark was a reference to Ferrari’s decision-making coming under scrutiny after the Italian team’s strategic approach and hesitation cost both drivers a shot at a podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix.
However, Leclerc admitted that his scrap with Hamilton “went too far” during the first sequence of corners at Monza.
“Here, it's true though that we went too far,” he acknowledged. “I think Lewis in Turn 1, then Turn 2, I tried to do the tightest corner possible, but that was just not enough – and doing it here is not good.”
Hamilton, who went on to finish sixth on a disappointing day for Ferrari, firmly disagreed with Leclerc’s view on the matter and responded sharply to his team-mate’s use of the word “we”.
