Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc came close to colliding during an intense Ferrari team-mate battle in the Belgian Grand Prix, with Hamilton then informing the pit wall that he was faster than the car ahead. The two Ferrari drivers raced side by side across laps 12 and 13 at Spa-Francorchamps, narrowly avoiding contact as they pursued Max Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc retained third place after resisting both attacks, but Lewis Hamilton appeared to have the stronger pace during that phase of the race. The seven-time world champion remained directly behind his team-mate and made his position clear over the radio: “I’m quicker than Charles. I have more pace.”
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc narrowly avoid contact
The tense sequence began on lap 12, when Lewis Hamilton closed rapidly onto the rear of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. Hamilton attempted to draw alongside, but the available space became extremely limited as the two cars approached the next section of the circuit.
Charles Leclerc left approximately one car’s width for his team-mate, although the margin between them was minimal. Hamilton’s front wing came extremely close to Leclerc’s left-rear tyre, creating the risk of a collision that could have damaged or eliminated both Ferraris.
They managed to continue without contact, but the fight resumed almost immediately. On lap 13, Hamilton again moved alongside Leclerc on the approach to Turn 5, forcing the Monegasque driver to defend his position under braking.
Charles Leclerc held firm and remained third, while Hamilton stayed fourth and continued to apply pressure. Ferrari appeared willing to allow its drivers to race at that stage, despite the obvious danger of losing a strong result through contact between the two red cars.
Hamilton tells Ferrari he is quicker than Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton’s frustration became clear over team radio as he followed Charles Leclerc. Believing that he had enough speed to challenge Max Verstappen ahead, the British driver told Ferrari that remaining behind his team-mate was restricting his progress.
“I’m quicker than Charles. I have more pace,” Hamilton reported.
The message effectively placed the decision in Ferrari’s hands. The team could allow the battle to continue, ask Hamilton to remain behind or consider exchanging the positions to determine whether he could close on Verstappen more effectively.
Hamilton’s claim was supported by the visible pace of the two cars during those laps. He appeared to be the quickest of the group consisting of Verstappen, Leclerc and himself, repeatedly closing onto the rear of the sister Ferrari through the opening sectors.
However, overtaking a team-mate is very different from simply matching or exceeding his lap times. Hamilton needed to complete the move cleanly while avoiding unnecessary damage, particularly after an eventful start to the race had already placed Ferrari under scrutiny.
Ferrari battle brings Verstappen within reach
Despite spending several laps fighting each other, the Ferrari drivers remained close to Max Verstappen. By lap 14, Charles Leclerc was approximately one second behind the Red Bull, keeping him within striking distance of second place.
Lewis Hamilton was directly behind Leclerc and appeared capable of joining the attack on Verstappen. Ferrari therefore found itself in a delicate strategic situation: allowing its drivers to race could reveal which of them possessed the greater speed, but it could also cost both cars time and allow Verstappen to escape.
At Spa, losing even a small amount of momentum can be significant. The long Kemmel Straight creates overtaking opportunities, but a driver must remain close enough through Eau Rouge and Raidillon to take full advantage of the slipstream on the run towards Les Combes.
If Hamilton genuinely had more pace, releasing him could have given Ferrari a better chance of attacking Verstappen. On the other hand, asking Leclerc to surrender third place so early would have been a major call, especially when he remained close to the Red Bull and had successfully defended every attack.
Ferrari faces an early team management dilemma
The near collision highlighted the challenge Ferrari faced with two closely matched drivers occupying consecutive positions. Team orders can protect a result and prevent unnecessary contact, but using them too early can disrupt a driver’s race and create tension inside the garage.
Ferrari also needed to consider the wider strategic picture. Hamilton was carrying a five-second penalty following his opening-lap collision with George Russell, meaning his effective position could change when the pit stops began. Allowing him through without considering that sanction could potentially compromise Leclerc’s race.
For the moment, Charles Leclerc remained ahead in third and Lewis Hamilton continued in fourth. Yet Hamilton’s radio message ensured that the discussion would not disappear: he believed he was the faster Ferrari driver and wanted the opportunity to use that pace against Verstappen.
The battle demonstrated Ferrari’s competitiveness at Spa, but it also created an early warning for the pit wall. With both cars in contention near the front, the Maranello team needed to balance its drivers’ freedom to race against the risk of turning a promising Belgian Grand Prix into a costly intra-team incident.
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