Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari has cleared the air internally following the controversial Monza weekend, with constructive talks involving both Fred Vasseur and Charles Leclerc allowing the team to move forward. Speaking to the media in Madrid on Thursday ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion insisted that the events in Italy have left no lingering internal problems, while stressing that the wider changes he wants to help introduce at Ferrari will inevitably require time.
The Maranello team arrived in Madrid still surrounded by discussion over what happened between its drivers at Monza. The situation has intensified the debate over Ferrari’s rules for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, but the British driver presented a much calmer picture of the atmosphere inside the team after the necessary conversations took place.
Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari has cleared the air after Monza
One of Lewis Hamilton’s most discussed comments after the Italian Grand Prix concerned Ferrari’s lack of sufficiently clear rules. He had explained that uncertainty could create a knock-on effect throughout the organisation, beginning at the top with team principal Fred Vasseur. Asked in Madrid about the discussions that followed, Lewis Hamilton described the exchange in positive terms.
“It was very positive. I spoke to Fred on Monday and we had an open and clear discussion. Naturally, you always have different opinions, but at the end of the day we come together and find a way to move forward. I think that’s the positive aspect of where we’ve got to over the last 15 months: we’ve reached a point where we have very good internal communication, and the same is true between me and Charles.”
The relationship between Ferrari’s two drivers was another major issue after Monza, but Lewis Hamilton confirmed that the expected face-to-face conversation with Charles Leclerc took place and proved constructive. The pair did not avoid the subject and instead discussed it directly.
“The great thing is that we didn’t shy away from talking about it. He and I sat down face to face, we talked about it with complete transparency and honesty, and we cleared everything up so we could move forward. That shows his maturity and it’s healthy. It’s a relationship we’ve built over time.”
Lewis Hamilton also acknowledged that occasional frustration is inevitable when two closely matched drivers are competing for the same objectives.
“It’s normal that there are frustrations or moments when we’ll be close on track, because we have very similar pace, we both want to win and we both want what’s best for the team. But yes, it was really positive.”
The comments reinforce the picture presented by Fred Vasseur following his own discussions with Ferrari’s drivers after Monza, with the immediate priority now turning towards the Madrid weekend rather than allowing the Italian Grand Prix controversy to dominate another race.
No new Ferrari rules of engagement discussed yet
Despite the conversations that have taken place, Lewis Hamilton denied that Ferrari has already discussed introducing formal rules of engagement for its two drivers. Instead, his immediate attention is on recovering from Monza and delivering a stronger performance in Madrid.
“Right now I’m just trying to focus on having a better weekend this weekend. I’m sure at some point we’ll discuss how we can improve, but we haven’t had much time to turn things around. You can’t change things in two days.”
That distinction is important. Lewis Hamilton continues to regard improvements to Ferrari’s communication and internal procedures as a priority, but he does not expect an organisation as large and established as the Scuderia to transform immediately.
Lewis Hamilton says changing Ferrari is a long-term process
The seven-time world champion has been increasingly involved in the process of improving how Ferrari operates, but he stressed that lasting organisational change requires patience. The Maranello structure involves a large number of people, established methods and a culture built over many years, making rapid changes difficult to implement successfully.
“I think it’s a long-term process. It’s not something you simply change this weekend. There’s a huge amount of moving parts, there are a lot of people, there’s a culture that has been there for a long time and moving the pieces isn’t that easy.”
Lewis Hamilton believes the correct approach is therefore gradual, with discussions leading to potential solutions rather than expecting an immediate transformation.
“So we take it one step at a time: you start a discussion and then you get to the point where you find the solutions together. It doesn’t happen overnight. We’ll try things, maybe they still won’t work properly, but eventually we’ll get to where we need to be.”
That longer-term view is particularly relevant as Ferrari continues trying to maximise the SF-26 while simultaneously improving execution throughout the race weekend. The broader focus on extracting the maximum available result has become increasingly important as the championship enters its decisive phase.
Lewis Hamilton plays down risk of another Charles Leclerc clash
Lewis Hamilton also dismissed the idea that another close battle with Charles Leclerc would necessarily represent a crisis. Formula 1 history contains numerous examples of closely matched team-mates racing one another hard, and the British driver does not believe such situations automatically signal a serious internal problem.
“I think if we look at the history of this sport, it has happened before, so it wouldn’t be a big problem.”
That position reflects the distinction between allowing two competitive drivers to race and ensuring their battle does not ultimately damage Ferrari’s overall result. The question of how the Scuderia manages that balance has become increasingly important following Monza, particularly with both drivers seeking to maximise every remaining opportunity.
Lewis Hamilton realistic about catching Mercedes and Andrea Kimi Antonelli
After Monza, Lewis Hamilton had also indicated that he had effectively put aside hopes of catching Mercedes and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the championship fight. In Madrid, he reiterated how difficult the situation has become, even though the title remains mathematically possible.
“Mathematically it’s still within reach, but it’s the biggest gap I’ve seen in a very long time. At this point in the season, the fact is that Mercedes is leading, they’re a long way ahead and they’re doing a fantastic job. I think we should just focus on doing our best every weekend. That’s all we can do.”
The scale of the challenge facing the seven-time champion has already raised questions over Lewis Hamilton’s remaining 2026 Formula 1 title chances after Monza. However, the British driver made clear that he is not asking Ferrari to turn Charles Leclerc into a support driver simply to keep those championship hopes alive.
Lewis Hamilton is not asking Ferrari to make Charles Leclerc support him
Asked whether he expects Ferrari to ask Charles Leclerc to help his championship pursuit, Lewis Hamilton rejected that interpretation. His priority is not a formal hierarchy between the two cars, but ensuring that the Scuderia extracts the best possible team result instead of losing points through internal battles.
“That’s not what I’m asking for. It’s just about making sure we execute as well as possible to get the best result for the team, rather than fighting each other and finishing fourth and fifth. By working together, we can aim for the podium and score more points.”
The British driver then highlighted the performance deficit Ferrari is currently trying to overcome, pointing directly to Mercedes’ advantage.
“Right now Mercedes, if you look at the last race, had six tenths of an advantage on the straight and three or four tenths at other tracks. We’ve done a great job considering that deficit, and we continue to bring improvements to the car and the engine.”
For Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari’s response should therefore be centred on its own execution and development rather than becoming preoccupied with Mercedes.
“Rather than focusing on them, our focus has to be on how we execute as well as possible every weekend, so that we’re ready to take the opportunities when they maybe make some mistakes.”
That message captures the central objective for Ferrari in Madrid. The discussions after Monza appear to have resolved the immediate tension between Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Fred Vasseur, but the larger project remains unfinished. Communication, procedures, race execution and further improvements to both the car and power unit are all part of a longer process. With Mercedes currently setting the championship benchmark, Ferrari’s task is to maximise every opportunity available rather than expect its problems to disappear from one weekend to the next.
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