Leclerc fires back at Hamilton after Monza clash: 'Who is forcing that narrative?'

Charles Leclerc has pushed back against the suggestion that he and Lewis Hamilton are embroiled in a brewing Ferrari rivalry, while conceding their opening-lap clash at the Italian Grand Prix "went too far." The Monegasque's response comes after Hamilton lashed out at Leclerc over the Turn 1 incident and subsequently called for written 'rules of engagement' at Ferrari.

Leclerc said he doesn't understand "who is forcing that narrative" of a Ferrari rivalry, after clashing with his teammate at the start of the Italian Grand Prix. Speaking to media the 28-year-old pointed the finger squarely at the coverage that followed the Dutch Grand Prix two weeks ago.

At the Dutch Grand Prix, there had been strategy confusion for both drivers; Leclerc had gone against Ferrari demands and delayed his pitstop, despite Hamilton being right behind him, as he deemed the strategy counterproductive for his own race. That episode triggered widespread discussion about whether the Ferrari drivers could work together, a conversation Leclerc clearly feels has been overblown.

Still, the Monegasque admitted that the Monza incident was a poor look in front of the tifosi. "Here, it's true though that we went too far," he said. Leclerc acknowledged both drivers' roles in the incident, accepting shared responsibility for a battle that cost Ferrari dearly at its home race.

He added that it "is never what you want between two cars of the same team." Leclerc's afternoon only got worse from there. He lost control of his Ferrari SF-26 at high speed in the Parabolica at the end of lap two and suffered a hefty impact against the wall, which caused a red flag.

Hamilton, however, rejected Leclerc's framing of the clash as a shared mistake. The seven-time world champion was asked if he agreed the battle went "too far," but was of the opinion his car positioning in Turn 2 meant he had the right to more space. "I was ahead in Turn 2, by the apex, I was ahead. There was no 'we' in it," he said.

Leclerc crashed out of the race not long after, while Hamilton recovered to P6 in what became a forgettable home race for the Scuderia. Home hero Kimi Antonelli pulled off a remarkable drive from the tenth row to victory, further extending his championship lead.