Leclerc hits back at 'wrong' conclusions over Hamilton battles at Ferrari

Charles Leclerc has fired back at the "wrong" conclusions being drawn about his on-track battles with Lewis Hamilton, insisting the Ferrari teammates' relationship is being blown out of proportion.

Why it matters:

With Ferrari fighting at the sharp end of the grid, harmony between Leclerc and Hamilton is vital to their championship ambitions. Leclerc maintains the outside narrative of conflict doesn't match reality inside the garage, where both drivers share the same priority: making Ferrari come out on top.

The details:

• The pair clashed on the opening lap at Monza, with Hamilton accusing Leclerc of forcing him off track at the Variante del Rettifilo chicane.
• Hamilton insisted he "doesn't race dirty" and has always left space, while Leclerc later apologised, admitting both drivers "went too far."
• Speaking ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Leclerc said Ferrari is held to a different standard than its rivals.
• "I've been with Ferrari since 2019 now, and I know how everything we do is over-analysed, over-discussed," he explained. "Very often the conclusions that are taken after those kinds of fights are the wrong ones."
• Leclerc noted that three of the top four teams had similar moments at Monza, yet only the "red cars" remain the topic of conversation.

Between the lines:

Hamilton revealed Mercedes had "written" rules of engagement for teammates, adding that at Ferrari "there are no rules." Leclerc insists the team's expectations are clear enough without needing to be documented.

What's next:

The duo share a garage again in Baku this weekend, where Leclerc will aim to put Monza behind him and focus on beating the rest of the field rather than each other.