Lewis Hamilton Puts Ferrari Clash Into Perspective After Charles Leclerc's Monza Crash, Glad Team-mate 'Is OK'

Lewis Hamilton put his feud with Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc into perspective after the Monegasque's heavy crash at Monza, saying he was simply 'glad' the 26-year-old was OK.

The pair endured a difficult home race on Sunday, with their afternoon beginning with a controversial battle through the opening chicane before Leclerc crashed out on the second lap.

Hamilton, who finished sixth, later criticised Ferrari's approach to managing its drivers. However, his message on social media struck a more conciliatory tone when addressing Leclerc's condition.

Hamilton Relieved Leclerc Was OK

Leclerc started third on the grid, immediately ahead of Hamilton, who was fourth. The seven-time world champion moved down the inside as the two Ferraris battled through the opening corners.

Hamilton was forced onto the gravel at the exit of Turn 2 and dropped several positions, prompting him to express his frustration over team radio. Leclerc later acknowledged that the battle had been too close but said he did not know whether there had been contact between the two cars.

The more serious incident came moments later. While defending against McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Leclerc ran wide onto the dirty side of the track at the Parabolica on Lap 2, lost the rear of the Ferrari and crashed heavily into the barriers. His Ferrari lost grip after running over the white line and he hit the barriers hard, bringing out the red flags.

Despite the severity of the crash, Leclerc walked away from the wreckage and was taken to the medical centre for checks. He was released without any injuries being detected, but later said he would undergo further checks after experiencing temporary vision problems.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also confirmed that the most important thing was that his driver was OK.

Hamilton later echoed that sentiment in an Instagram post. 'We gave it everything but unfortunately it wasn't enough,' he wrote. 'Through it all, the support the entire week has been incredible.'

'I'm glad to see that Charles is ok,' Hamilton added. 'We're committed to progress and greatness and will continue to give it everything we can to deliver the results you all deserve.'

Ferrari Clash Adds To Difficult Weekend

Hamilton's relief over Leclerc's condition came despite his continued frustration about how Ferrari manages its two drivers. The incident at the first chicane was officially treated as a racing incident, but Hamilton maintained that he had been ahead going into Turn 2 and believed he had been pushed off the circuit.

Leclerc, meanwhile, described the battle as 'way too close' and said he did not know whether the two cars had made contact.

Hamilton subsequently called for Ferrari to improve how it communicates and manages battles between its drivers.

'We've got to change things,' Hamilton said, arguing that continuing with the same approach would simply produce the same results. He pointed to Mercedes' more structured handling of its drivers as an example of what Ferrari could learn from.

The comments came after Hamilton salvaged sixth place following his early excursion onto the gravel. Ferrari had been hoping for a strong result at Monza, but neither driver finished on the podium, while Mercedes secured a one-two finish led by Kimi Antonelli.

Juan Pablo Montoya Calls for Ferrari Intervention

Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has argued that Ferrari's senior management needs to intervene following the clash. Montoya believes the team should establish clearer boundaries between Hamilton and Leclerc to prevent further incidents between its drivers.

His comments came after what was a disappointing weekend for Ferrari at its home race. For Hamilton, however, the immediate priority appeared to be making clear that the competitive disagreement did not overshadow concern for his team-mate's wellbeing.

With Leclerc's crash leaving him without a finish and Hamilton recovering only to sixth, Ferrari left Monza with plenty to address before the next race. Hamilton's Instagram message nevertheless showed that his frustration over the clash did not diminish his concern for Leclerc's wellbeing.