MADRID — Charles Leclerc said Thursday he was to blame for forcing Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton into the gravel on the opening lap of the Italian Grand Prix.
At the start of last weekend’s race at Monza, the two Ferrari drivers ran side by side through the first chicane. Hamilton held the inside line at Turn 1, then was forced off the track at Turn 2 while Leclerc defended the position.
Leclerc said he watched video of the incident before he talked to Hamilton.
“I obviously know I went too far in Turn 2,” Leclerc said.
Ferrari has clear rules of engagement for its drivers, according to Leclerc, and “we never want to see a car of the same team in the grass.”
The attention around the clash grew because it happened at Ferrari’s home race, Leclerc said. He also said it cannot happen again.
Hamilton praised Leclerc’s maturity for sitting down to talk it through. The two met one-on-one and cleared the air, Hamilton said, though the seven-time world champion expects more frustrations down the road with both drivers wanting to win.
“Just making sure we’re executing to make sure we get the best results for the team instead of us working against each other and finishing fourth and fifth,” Hamilton said. “Maybe you can work together and get a podium and pull off more points.”
Charles Leclerc Cleared To Race After Monza Crash
Leclerc’s race at Monza ended less than two laps after the clash, when he crashed heavily at the final corner. He reported blurred vision afterward.
Additional medical checks cleared Leclerc to race this weekend.
“I will be 100% fine,” Leclerc said.
Ferrari has fitted Leclerc’s car with an older-spec power unit for Madrid. The engine he used at Monza may have been damaged in the crash, and the team will wait until Baku, the next round, to check it.
Hamilton finished sixth at Monza after dropping back late in the race on worn medium tires.
Ferrari Chasing Mercedes In Both Championships
Kimi Antonelli and George Russell gave Mercedes a one-two at Monza. Ferrari now trails Mercedes by 122 points in the constructors’ standings.
Hamilton is third in the drivers’ championship. He sits 76 points behind Antonelli and 10 behind Russell.
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur has called the Monza weekend a failure and said he expects the team to respond in Madrid.
Ferrari brought both Leclerc and Hamilton to the Madring for a filming day earlier this summer, so they are the only two drivers in the field with real laps at the circuit.
On Thursday, Hamilton said the Madring and Jeddah are the two most difficult new tracks he has driven when it comes to getting comfortable with the car and finding the right lines. Leclerc said he expects qualifying to be especially important because passing is unlikely to come easily.
Ferrari’s cars were due on track for two practice sessions Friday. Qualifying is Saturday afternoon.
