Hamilton and Leclerc clear the air after Monza clash

Hamilton and Leclerc have cleared the air after their first-lap clash at Monza, with the Ferrari teammates holding a face-to-face meeting to move past the incident. Leclerc admitted he went too far in his defence, and Hamilton accepted the apology, insisting the relationship remains healthy. But while that chapter is closed, Hamilton concedes that flashpoints between competitive teammates are nothing new in F1.

Why it matters:

Ferrari is already 76 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, and with Hamilton's title hopes fading, internal harmony is critical. A public feud between teammates could derail the team's ability to maximise results. Hamilton's measured response suggests he is prioritising the bigger picture, but the team has yet to establish formal rules of engagement.

The details:

• At the start of the Italian Grand Prix, Hamilton attempted to pass Leclerc at the Turn 1/2 chicane. After getting ahead through Turn 1, Leclerc closed the door at Turn 2, forcing Hamilton wide and into the gravel.
• Stewards ruled no further action, but Hamilton was visibly frustrated in the immediate aftermath, speaking to team principal Fred Vasseur.
• Face-to-face resolution: The pair met one-on-one after the race. Leclerc admitted he went too far, and Hamilton says they "squashed it" and moved on.
• Hamilton's view: "It shows maturity from him... we were both open and honest." He pointed out that teammate clashes have happened throughout F1 history, saying "it's nothing." The pair have already had several "kisses" this season, as Hamilton put it in China.
• Rules of engagement: Ferrari has not yet discussed formal guidelines with its drivers. Hamilton confirmed no such conversation has taken place, though he expects it at some stage.

What's next:

Hamilton turned his focus to this weekend's Madrid Grand Prix, where he hopes to bounce back from a sixth-place finish at Monza. With the championship gap now at 76 points, he admitted: "Mathematically it is [possible], but it's the biggest gap I've seen in a long, long time." The priority, he says, is to do their best each weekend rather than chase an increasingly unlikely title.