Leclerc accepts responsibility for Hamilton clash as Ferrari drivers clear the air

Charles Leclerc has accepted responsibility for forcing Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton wide at the first chicane during the opening lap of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Hamilton was forced off the track and finished sixth at Ferrari’s home event. Leclerc said he “didn’t behave the way I should have” and acknowledged that he had gone too far while racing a team-mate.

The drivers held a face-to-face discussion before the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, with separate talks also involving Ferrari chairman John Elkann, chief executive Benedetto Vigna and team principal Frederic Vasseur. Leclerc said the purpose was to address the incident directly and prevent it from becoming a wider distraction for the team.

Hamilton said the dispute had been “squashed” and that nothing was lingering between them. He said both drivers remained focused on winning and performing for Ferrari, while acknowledging that further close racing was likely given their similar pace.

No detailed rules for future battles were agreed in the post-Monza discussions. Hamilton said there had not been enough time to establish new arrangements and that any broader discussion would take place later.

Leclerc also said he had recovered after feeling dizzy following a subsequent crash at Monza and was ready to race in Madrid. His assessment of his fitness was not accompanied in the source material by an independent medical report.