Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that his differences with Charles Leclerc have been resolved following a direct conversation between the two Ferrari drivers, bringing an end to the tensions that emerged after the Mexican Grand Prix. Speaking after qualifying for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion explained that neither driver made any particular demands during their meeting and clarified that team principal Fred Vasseur had not needed to intervene to settle the matter.
The discussion provided some welcome clarity for Ferrari ahead of Sunday’s race at Interlagos, where Lewis Hamilton faces a difficult challenge following a power unit problem in FP3. Although he progressed into Q2 during a rain-affected qualifying session that lasted several hours, a complete power unit replacement means he will start towards the back of the grid.
Lewis Hamilton confirms Charles Leclerc talks have resolved Ferrari tensions
The fallout from the Mexico GP controversy and subsequent discussions over Ferrari’s racing rules had continued to dominate the build-up to the São Paulo weekend. However, the atmosphere now appears considerably calmer following the anticipated meeting between Ferrari’s two drivers.
After Charles Leclerc indicated that the matter had been settled, Lewis Hamilton also confirmed that the conversation had allowed both sides to express their views and move forward.
“The discussion needed to happen. That’s clear. And we had it. I think we cleared things up, we both expressed our thoughts, and that brought a lot of calm to the situation. As for the future, that discussion was certainly clear. I don’t want to go into any further details, and I don’t want to reignite something that has already dragged on for far, far too long.”
The British driver was also keen to clarify exactly how the meeting had unfolded, addressing speculation that had emerged the previous day about the role played by Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur.
“It’s not that Fred (Vasseur) had to ‘clear the air’; Charles and I sat down, we talked, we resolved the matter, and now we move forward. I think we still have a great deal of mutual respect. I’m glad we had that conversation, and now we’re turning the page. We get along as well as ever.”
Lewis Hamilton stressed that the discussion had not involved either driver making specific requests or imposing conditions on the other. Instead, the focus had been on understanding their respective positions and identifying ways to work together more effectively.
“Sometimes, in situations like these, all it takes is a conversation: there were no particular demands from either side, we simply explained our points of view and identified the areas where we can improve and support each other. So I hope we can have better races in the future.”
The clarification follows a period of heightened attention surrounding Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s relationship in the aftermath of Mexico. With both drivers now describing the matter as resolved, the emphasis can return to Ferrari’s performance on track.
Lewis Hamilton uses Brazilian GP qualifying as a test after Ferrari engine problem
Qualifying at Interlagos was a very different experience for Lewis Hamilton compared with his rivals. The session was extended by several hours because of rain, but the Ferrari driver’s prospects had already been heavily compromised by a technical problem discovered during FP3.
The issue made a complete power unit replacement necessary, resulting in a grid penalty that left Lewis Hamilton destined to start near the back regardless of his qualifying performance.
Nevertheless, the Briton progressed into Q2 and recorded the 11th-fastest time. That result will allow him to start from the penultimate row, ahead of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, who face the same penalty but recorded slower qualifying times.
Like Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton also took the opportunity to experiment with certain solutions during qualifying rather than treating the session purely as a battle for grid position.
Despite the difficult circumstances, the seven-time world champion thoroughly enjoyed driving in the wet conditions at Interlagos.
“It was a lot of fun out on track. It’s always fun in the rain! It’s a really tricky condition, but I enjoyed it a lot during the few laps we were able to complete. I wanted to still be out there fighting with the others, but unfortunately we have to preserve the tyres for tomorrow. I love qualifying and driving in the rain; it’s a fantastic circuit to race on in wet conditions.”
Lewis Hamilton optimistic about Brazilian GP race despite grid penalty
With his starting position already compromised, Lewis Hamilton explained that his main objective during qualifying had been to assess Ferrari’s replacement power unit and check the overall behaviour of the car before the Grand Prix.
“We encountered that problem back in FP3, so I used the qualifying session as a test to make sure the engine was working well and that the car felt good. I’m confident for tomorrow. We’ll try to make our way through the field ahead of us. The conditions are going to be really complicated, but I love racing in the rain, so let’s hope…”
The combination of an engine change, an unfavourable starting position and potentially challenging weather conditions means Lewis Hamilton faces an uphill battle at Interlagos. However, his confidence in the car following qualifying and his enjoyment of wet-weather driving offer some encouragement as Ferrari prepares for the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix.
For Ferrari, the weekend has also brought an important development away from the circuit itself: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have addressed their differences directly, reaffirmed their mutual respect and expressed a shared desire to improve their cooperation in the races ahead.
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