Leclerc dismisses Ferrari rivalry narrative after Hamilton clash at Monza

Charles Leclerc rejected the idea of a simmering Ferrari team rivalry on Sunday, even as his first-lap clash with Lewis Hamilton at the Italian Grand Prix left his team-mate stranded in the gravel at Variante del Rettifilo and ultimately contributed to Leclerc’s own retirement on the following lap.

Both Ferrari drivers made strong starts from the second row at Monza, but Hamilton pulled alongside Leclerc heading into the first two corners. The seven-time world champion attempted the inside line at Turn 1, but Leclerc held his position and secured the inside for Turn 2. Under racing guidelines, Leclerc was within his rights — a car overtaking on the outside must be ahead at the apex to be entitled to racing room — but Hamilton was left with two wheels on the gravel and tumbled down the order.

Despite the incident arriving in the context of growing debate around Ferrari’s intra-team dynamics, Leclerc was dismissive when asked about a rivalry with Hamilton. “I don’t really know who is forcing that narrative that we are one against the other,” he said.

He also referenced the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, where strategy confusion had already strained the partnership. On that occasion, Leclerc had defied Ferrari’s instructions and delayed his pitstop while Hamilton was directly behind him, judging the strategy to be counterproductive for his own race. “Zandvoort, there was way too many talks already,” Leclerc said.

Nevertheless, the Monegasque acknowledged that the Monza collision was a damaging moment — particularly in front of the tifosi at Ferrari’s home race. “Here, it’s true though that we went too far,” he admitted. “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.”

The incident adds another chapter to what has been a complicated opening partnership between Leclerc and Hamilton at Ferrari, with questions around team hierarchy and cooperation unlikely to fade despite Leclerc’s insistence that the rivalry framing is being manufactured from outside.