Leclerc contradicts Hamilton's view on controversial Ferrari team orders

Asked in Wednesday's FIA press conference in Baku whether the rules of engagement are clear at Ferrari, Leclerc replied: "Sure." He added that formalising them in writing is unnecessary. "I think it's pretty clear that we don't necessarily have to write those things for it, I think it's clear enough," the Monegasque said.

The response marks a notable shift in the narrative around Ferrari's driver dynamics.

At the Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton was asked whether rules of engagement had been discussed following the Monza clash. "It was not," he replied, as GPblog reported at the time. He added: "I'm sure at some stage we'll discuss how we can be better, but we've not had a lot of time since turnaround."

Hamilton had originally called for written rules of engagement after the Italian Grand Prix, pointing to Vasseur as the person who needed to act.

"It starts with Fred," he told media at Monza. He drew a comparison with his time at Mercedes, saying: "When I was at Mercedes, we had a written rule of engagement."

Vasseur publicly rejected the demand. Leclerc's position now aligns with the team principal's view rather than his teammate's, suggesting Ferrari has settled on handling the rivalry informally.

The contrasting positions sit within a broader picture of tension inside the Scuderia. As GPblog reported last week, Hamilton's relationship with Vasseur is said to have cooled. Leclerc, by contrast, has sought to lower the temperature, telling media in Baku that the scrutiny of their on-track battles is "not really fair" compared to how similar incidents at rival teams were treated at Monza.

Whether Leclerc's confidence that the boundaries are understood is shared on Hamilton's side of the garage will likely be tested when the pair line up at the Baku City Circuit this weekend.