“There have been moments where I went too far”: Leclerc reflects on clashes with Hamilton
Amidst all the chatter that there is tension at Ferrari between the two drivers, Charles Leclerc has stated that the tension is merely a result of routine friendly competition.
Leclerc and his teammate Lewis Hamilton have been fighting to provide Ferrari the best results possible despite a series of altercations across the past few race weekends. Notably in Monza, the pair made contact in the opening laps of the Grand Prix, triggering a frustrated radio message from Hamilton and a sea of speculation after the chequered flag.
When asked about the situation in Monza, Leclerc assured that the team is working to ensure nothing like that happens again on track.
“There have been moments where I went too far, where Lewis went too far, but the key thing is to discuss [it],” said Leclerc when speaking to media ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “I've been with Ferrari since 2019, and I know how much things are over-analysed and over-discussed.
“We both want to win, win as a team and see Ferrari come out on top.”
Leclerc went on to emphasise that while battling with your teammate is part of the sport, there are still lines that are ideally not to be crossed.
“I enjoy fighting with Lewis; that's what Formula 1 is about, to fight with the best and Lewis is right up there,” he explained.
“Turn 2 in Monza is something we never want to see happen again.”
Although Hamilton did not comment directly on the Monza incident during his media availability, he did echo Leclerc’s sentiments on making improvements where issues have previously occurred.
“I think there are positives to take out of the last few races; it's just that they haven't been the best in terms of execution and we've not had the best results,” said Hamilton to media on Wednesday.
“The positives we take forward, and we try and learn from the areas where we weren't as good, but I believe that we can make improvements, and I think we have. I'm excited for this weekend."
Historically, Baku has been an unforgiving track, demanding the utmost precision from the drivers each year. For Leclerc, the walls of Azerbaijan are a bit of a touchy subject.
"Traps for me must be Turn 15," the Monegasque joked when asked about the nature of the circuit.
“I will try and avoid it this year!"
He added that commitment is a key component of getting the best results from the track and being able to judge just how much risk you can take during the drive. Those sentiments will be crucial across the next few days, as the Ferrari duo continue their quest for the Constructors’ Championship.
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