Charles Leclerc Accepts Blame After Lewis Hamilton Incident

Charles Leclerc has stepped forward and taken responsibility for the incident with Lewis Hamilton at the Italian Grand Prix. The Monegasque driver, who was involved in a collision with his teammate at the first chicane at Monza, admitted that he could have acted differently: "It's quite clear that I could have done a better job by just braking the car and not putting Lewis in a difficult situation" declared Leclerc in the press conference ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.

The incident occurred in the early laps of the Italian race, when both Ferrari drivers were fighting for positions. Hamilton was forced off into the gravel, losing several positions, while Leclerc continued in the race until a crash at the final corner ended his participation on the second lap, the tension between both drivers was evident in the moments after the collision, but Leclerc assured that they have already spoken and that the relationship is on track.

"The most important thing was to talk, first of all. I've been at Ferrari for quite a few years and I know what it feels like when everything around the team is on fire. If you don't talk, between Lewis and me you can get caught up in that noise around the team" explained the Monegasque.

Leclerc acknowledged that the media pressure surrounding Ferrari amplifies any internal incident: "When you look at Monza there has been friction between other teammates and we barely talk about it, but when it comes to Ferrari it takes on proportions that are not normal" he reflected.

The Ferrari driver stressed the respect he feels for Hamilton and made it clear that his action at turn 2 was not the right one: "I told him that at turn 2 I didn't behave as I should have, nor as a teammate should" he confessed. Despite the tension of the moment, Leclerc insisted that the relationship between them remains good: "We have always had a great relationship. We have a good racing relationship" he added.

Leclerc also spoke about his physical condition after the heavy crash he suffered at Monza. The Monegasque lost control of his Ferrari at the final corner and crashed into the barriers, suffering an impact that caused the red flag. Although he was medically cleared, he admitted that the hours afterward were complicated: "I'll be at 100%, it was just a bit strange right after the crash and I felt a bit dizzy, but very quickly from Monday afternoon, I felt better. I received quite a few treatments for my neck because that's where most of the impact was and now I feel fine" he explained.

The Monegasque underwent several medical tests to rule out any serious injury: "I did quite a few checks and they all came out perfectly fine so there are no concerns for this weekend" he stated. Leclerc is ready to face the challenge of the new Madring circuit in Madrid, where Ferrari will seek to recover lost ground after a complicated weekend in Italy.

The incident with Hamilton and the subsequent crash have been a hard blow for Leclerc, but the Monegasque has shown maturity by taking responsibility for his mistake and seeking reconciliation with his teammate. The relationship between both drivers will be key to Ferrari's performance for the rest of the season, the team needs unity to compete with Mercedes and Red Bull, and Leclerc's ability to recognize his mistakes is a step in the right direction.