Charles Leclerc acknowledged responsibility for the opening-lap clash with Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton at Monza, stating ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix that it’s pretty clear that I could have done a better job
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Leclerc takes blame for Turn 2 incident
The Ferrari drivers ran side-by-side through the first chicane during last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, sending Hamilton into the gravel and dropping him down the order. The contact briefly strained the relationship between the pair before Hamilton said on Thursday in Madrid that they got a good racing relationship
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Leclerc confirmed the two had spoken to clear the air, with the Monegasque driver admitting he was primarily at fault.
Having the Turn 2 incident is not something we ever want to see again,he said.And for that, reviewing the images, it’s pretty clear that I could have done a better job just slowing down the car and not putting Lewis then in a difficult situation.
So this is something I can learn from, for sure, but we’ve already spoken with Lewis.
I think what was very important was to speak, first of all. It’s been quite a few years now that I’m in Ferrari — and I kind of know how it feels when everything around Ferrari is kind of on fire.
And if you don’t speak between Lewis and I, then you can get caught up with this noise that there is around the team.
It’s not that there are no reasons for that noise, but I think the intensity of the noise is a bit too crazy. When you look at Monza, there’s been friction between other team mates and we barely talk about it.
But when it’s about Ferrari, it takes proportions that are not normal. But we spoke with Lewis. We’ve always had a great relationship.
I have a lot of respect for Lewis, and I told him that in Turn 2 I didn’t behave the way I should have, and the way a team mate should.
Leclerc fit for Madrid after heavy Monza crash
Leclerc’s Monza race ended on lap two after a heavy impact at the final corner that brought out the red flag. Although medically cleared, he revealed he felt the effects in the immediate aftermath but expects to be fully fit for the new Madrid circuit layout this weekend.
I will be 100% fine. I mean, it was only right after the crash that it was just a little bit strange and I felt a little bit dizzy,he said.
But very quickly, from Monday afternoon, I felt better. I had quite a few treatments for the neck, because that’s where most of the shock went, and I’m feeling good now.
So I’m ready for this weekend. I did quite a lot of checks, and all checks were fully fine. So no worries for this weekend.
