Former racing driver and Formula 1 pundit Matteo Bobbi has criticised Lewis Hamilton over his increasingly tense relationship with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, suggesting that the seven-time world champion has turned their sporting rivalry into a personal confrontation. Speaking during FP1 at the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, the Italian commentator also questioned Ferrari’s management of its two drivers, arguing that the team must prevent their competition from damaging its results.
The comments come amid continuing tensions between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc following their controversial battle at the Mexican Grand Prix. While both drivers are determined to establish themselves within the Scuderia, Matteo Bobbi believes the disagreement has developed beyond an ordinary contest between teammates, with Ferrari’s leadership facing questions about how the situation is being handled.
Matteo Bobbi accuses Lewis Hamilton of making Ferrari rivalry personal
During the opening practice session at Interlagos, Matteo Bobbi offered a critical assessment of the relationship between Ferrari’s two drivers. The Italian pundit acknowledged that competition between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc is natural, but suggested that the British driver’s approach has moved beyond simply trying to defeat his teammate on the circuit.
“It’s natural that both of them want to come out on top, but it’s up to Ferrari to prevent this competition from compromising the team’s results. The problem, in my opinion, starts with those responsible for managing the drivers. Hamilton isn’t just trying to beat Leclerc on track; he also seems to want to get at him off it. By now, it has become a personal matter. If you’re still this angry five days later, it means the confrontation with your teammate goes well beyond what happened in the race,” Matteo Bobbi declared.
The commentator’s assessment places particular emphasis on the continuing frustration surrounding the Ferrari drivers’ relationship. In his view, the persistence of the disagreement suggests that the issue is no longer limited to a single racing incident.
However, this remains Matteo Bobbi’s interpretation of the situation rather than confirmation of Lewis Hamilton’s intentions. His criticism reflects the wider debate surrounding the ongoing tensions between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix.
Ferrari’s management of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc questioned
Although Matteo Bobbi directed his strongest criticism towards Lewis Hamilton’s approach to the rivalry, he also identified Ferrari’s internal management as a central part of the problem.
The former racing driver argued that both competitors naturally want to finish ahead of each other, but that the responsibility for ensuring their rivalry does not undermine the team’s results ultimately belongs to those managing them.
His remarks therefore raise two separate concerns: the increasingly personal nature of the disagreement, as he perceives it, and Ferrari’s responsibility for maintaining a productive competitive relationship between its drivers.
The issue has already prompted wider discussion about how the Scuderia should manage its driver pairing. Following the Mexican Grand Prix controversy, Fred Vasseur was reportedly considering discussions about Ferrari’s internal racing guidelines, reflecting the attention being given to the team’s approach to competition between its drivers.
Matteo Bobbi’s intervention adds another critical perspective to that debate, particularly because his comments focus not only on what happens on the circuit but also on the relationship between the drivers away from racing.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc tensions remain a talking point in Brazil
The disagreement between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc has continued to attract attention during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, with the events in Mexico remaining central to discussions about Ferrari’s internal situation.
Matteo Bobbi believes the length of time for which the frustration has persisted is particularly significant. By highlighting the fact that the disagreement was still generating strong feelings five days after the race, the Italian commentator suggested that the underlying tensions extend beyond the immediate circumstances of the incident.
His comments also underline the difficult balance facing Ferrari. Both drivers are competing at the highest level of Formula 1 and naturally want to defeat their teammate, but their individual ambitions must coexist with the team’s collective objectives.
For the Maranello squad, the challenge is to manage that competition without allowing disagreements to compromise results. Matteo Bobbi’s criticism makes clear that, in his assessment, this responsibility rests as much with Ferrari’s leadership as with the drivers themselves.
As the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend continues, the relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc remains under scrutiny. Whether Ferrari can prevent further disagreements from affecting its performance will be an important test of how effectively the Scuderia manages its two drivers.
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