Lewis Hamilton has called on Ferrari to establish clear rules of engagement following an opening-lap incident with teammate Charles Leclerc at the Italian Grand Prix. The clash at Monza left Hamilton running through the gravel and dropping deep into the midfield, forcing him into a difficult recovery drive.
The incident unfolded as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc battled side-by-side into the first corner. Hamilton, who started fourth, was squeezed wide by Leclerc, sending him off track and costing him valuable positions.
Hamilton expressed his frustration over team radio at the time and later insisted that Ferrari lacks the internal protocols that Mercedes had during his tenure there.
“It comes down to rules of engagement,” Hamilton told media including RacingNews365. “When I was at Mercedes, we had written rules of engagement. We never really had it too bad. There was a moment between me and Nico [Rosberg] a couple of times, but more often than not, it was good. Here, there are no rules. We need to address that.”
Ferrari’s race took a further turn for the worse moments later when Leclerc crashed at the final corner, triggering a red flag. Hamilton was then left to fight back from the pack, but he believes his tyre choice—switching to the medium compound—was a mistake.
“It was very bad for the team and obviously put us way back in positions,” Hamilton said. “I just tried to reset and think, ‘okay, I’ll try and catch up,’ but then we had to stop. I think I put the wrong tyres on, probably.”
The failure at Monza is a major blow for Ferrari, who were aiming for a home victory. The team must now reassess its approach to intra-team battles as the season progresses.
Read Also
Liam Lawson explains the incident with Nico Hulkenberg that damaged his front wing at the Italian GP, resulting in a frustrating 14th place finish. Read more.
Yuki Tsunoda keeps Italian GP point after stewards' probe. Read analysis of the stewards' decision and its impact on Racing Bulls in the standings.
Lando Norris reversed his stance after early frustration with Oscar Piastri at the Italian GP, calling the move fair and enjoying the close battle.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!