When Formula 1 arrives at Monza, all eyes typically fix on the Ferrari drivers, but this year the disappointed ran deep. Charles Leclerc forced Lewis Hamilton off the road at the first chicane, and a couple of laps later he crashed on his own, wrecking Ferrari’s chances in Monza.
After the race, Hamilton complained about his teammate’s move, but he also left another message. The Briton believes he has always been a clean racer who has stayed out of accidents, and he urges Ferrari to look at Leclerc’s side of the pit box to fix the issues.
Hamilton points to Leclerc as the cause of Ferrari’s debacle in Monza
It wasn’t the Italian Grand Prix Ferrari fans dreamed of. Leclerc ended up slamming into a wall causing a red flag, while Hamilton could only finish sixth, behind the two Mercedes cars, the two McLarens, and Max Verstappen. The worst part is that along the way Leclerc and Hamilton had time to light the internal fuse.
Leclerc forced Hamilton off the track at the first chicane. The Briton executed an optimistic inside braking maneuver with barely any space, but as they moved into the second part of the chicane Leclerc pinched him, sending him into the gravel and causing Hamilton to drop four positions. The seven-time world champion was furious.
Hamilton urged the team to “look at what happens on the other side of the pit wall and review the decisions being made there.” I can only keep pushing to get the best from the car and the team.” He directly told Fred Vasseur, Ferrari’s chief, to take action, but went further: he asserted that he has always been a clean racer.
Hamilton insists that “I do not race dirty.” He has always competed cleanly and fairly, always leaving space, so I don’t think anyone should worry about him. He threw one last barb at Leclerc, stating that “I joined the team aiming to respect space and definitely not put us in danger.”
Afirmations that sit uneasily with the undeniable fact that Hamilton has collided with many of his major Formula 1 rivals: Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. The latest addition to the list appears set to be Charles Leclerc.
At least the Italian fans could take solace in the enormous victory by Kimi Antonelli, who had climbed 18 positions. Inside Ferrari, the joys are growing ever rarer.
Images | Ferrari
