Hamilton tells Ferrari it's 'far too late' for team orders as Leclerc clash deepens tension
Lewis Hamilton says it is "far too late" for Ferrari to give him priority over team-mate Charles Leclerc in the Formula 1 championship fight, even though he sits two places higher than the Monegasque in the standings. The seven-time champion's verdict came after a frustrating Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza, where a first-lap incident between the two Ferrari drivers intensified concerns about how the team manages its pairing. BBC Sport
Hamilton said the points gap to the rival they are both chasing is around 60 to 70 points and "very difficult" to close given that team's pace. In other words, even the higher-placed Ferrari driver is realistically out of the title hunt, which makes prioritising either car hard to justify.
The Monza flashpoint followed an earlier flash of frustration at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort a week before. There, Hamilton felt Ferrari took too long to move Leclerc — who was running third on a different strategy — out of the way so Hamilton could challenge for a podium on fresher, faster tyres. When Ferrari eventually pitted Leclerc, Hamilton said over team radio: "Great way of wasting time, good job." He later apologised for the comments. BBC Sport
At Monza, the tension boiled over on track. Leclerc crashed on lap two and said the move into turn one with Hamilton was "way too close." Hamilton countered that he was ahead into turn two and that there was "no we in it." Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur described the incident as "not good" but said it was too early to make a driver-priority call, comparing the situation to Oscar Piastri leading McLaren at the same stage of the previous season. BBC Sport
Hamilton was blunt about what needs to change. He said Ferrari needed to look at how they communicate, warning that continuing on the same path would keep producing the same result. He also pushed back against any suggestion of a feud, saying he does not race dirty and that Ferrari fans should not be worried about team-mate hostility. BBC Sport
Both drivers were also critical of Ferrari's qualifying strategy at Monza. Hamilton and Leclerc admitted the team did not execute well enough during the session that sets the grid. Formula1.com
The dynamic carries extra weight given Ferrari's recent history. For years before signing Hamilton last winter, the team had made clear to Leclerc that he was their priority. Some inside Formula 1 viewed the arrival of a seven-time champion as a blow to Leclerc's status. BBC Sport Leclerc himself described the change as "super positive" when Hamilton joined, saying the team should focus on its work rather than outside noise. Formula1.com
What makes this stand out is that Hamilton is not asking for number-one status. He is effectively telling Ferrari that the championship is beyond either of them this season, so the focus should shift to racing cleanly and communicating better. Whether Vasseur can deliver that in the remaining races is the question the paddock will be watching.
