Lewis Hamilton revealed that the tension with Charles Leclerc after the Formula 1 Italian GP was overcome after a conversation between the two. The Ferrari drivers met during the break between Monza and Madrid and, according to the seven-time world champion, managed to “resolve” the disagreement.
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The conflict happened at the start of the Italian race, when Hamilton tried to pass on the inside and ended up being pushed off the track by Leclerc, losing positions. After the race, Hamilton stated that “there are no rules here” regarding the old engagement rules he had with Nico Rosberg at Mercedes.
Hamilton explained that new internal rules have not yet been discussed: “It was very positive. I spoke with Fred on Monday, and we had a conversation to clear the air. Naturally, we can always have different opinions, but at the end of the day, we come together and find a way forward. That’s the positive side of where we’ve come in the last 15 months or whatever. We’ve reached a place where we have really great internal communication, and the same with me and Charles. I think if you look at this, the history of this sport, this has happened before, so it’s no big deal.”
Regarding a possible change in engagement rules, Hamilton was straightforward: “It wasn’t. I’m sure at some point we will discuss how we can be better, but we haven’t had much time to flip the switch. You can’t change things in two days. It’s not something we can change for this weekend. There are a huge number of moving parts. There are many people. There is a culture that has been here for a very, very long time, and moving big pieces isn’t that easy. So we’ll take one step at a time, and it starts with the discussion.”
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“It starts with the recognition that we have internally, and then it comes to the point of working on solutions together and how we can do it, and it just doesn’t happen overnight. We will probably try things, and it still won’t be good, but eventually we will get to the point we need.”
Hamilton also highlighted that the individual conversation with Leclerc was open and served to close the issue. “I think what’s great is that there was no hesitation in having a discussion. We sat face to face, just him and me, and talked about it, and we were both open and honest, and resolved it, and we can move forward.
“I think that shows maturity on his part, and I think it’s the healthiest. It’s a relationship we’ve built over time. Of course, there will be frustrations, and there will be moments when we’re here. There will be, I’m sure, more times when we’re close because we’re very close in pace. We both want to win as much as the other, and we both want to do well for the team as well.”
Read more F1: Hamilton confirms conversation with Leclerc after tough battle in Monza
