Motor racing-Leclerc and Hamilton clear the air but no written rules of engagement


Formula One F1 - Italian Grand Prix - Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy - September 6, 2026 Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in action during the race REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki

MADRID, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Charles ⁠Leclerc and Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton said they had cleared the air face-to-face after ⁠a clash at last weekend's Italian Grand Prix but there were still no written ‌rules of engagement between the pair.

Seven-times Formula One world champion Hamilton had called for written rules after being forced off onto the gravel by Leclerc on the opening lap and dropping from fourth to 10th. The Briton eventually finished sixth whileLeclerc ​crashed out.

Asked at the Spanish Grand Prix on Thursday whether ⁠anything had been put in writing, ⁠Hamilton replied, "There was not.

"I'm sure at some stage we'll discuss how we can be better but we've ⁠not ‌had a lot of time to turn around. You can't change things in two days."

Hamilton said there had been no shying away between the two drivers when they came to ⁠discuss what had happened.

"We sat face to face, just him ​and I, and talked about ‌it," he said. "We were just both open and honest and we squashed it. And we ⁠can move on... ​I think it's healthy. It's a relationship we have built over time."

"Of course there's going to be frustrations... I'm sure there will be more times (where) we are close (on track) because we are very close on pace. We ⁠both want to win just as much as each ​other and we both want to do well for the team as well."

Ferrari are second in the championship after 13 rounds, 122 points behind Mercedes. Hamilton is third overall, 76 points behind Mercedes' leader Kimi ⁠Antonelli.

Leclerc told reporters he had reviewed footage after the race and recognised he had gone too far.

"I said it to Lewis and I think it's very clear what we should do or should avoid going forward but I won't go into much more details of what we've said," added the ​Monegasque.

"The only thing I can say is it definitely did not ⁠affect the good relationship that we have and it will not affect anything going forward and that ​is the most important for me really."

Leclerc said his crash ‌at Monza at the end of the second lap ​had felt like a big one and he had suffered a tight neck for a couple of days after but was now fine.

(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Christian Radnedge)

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