With the arrival of the United States Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc has expressed his views on the dynamic between him and Lewis Hamilton on the track. As the season progresses, the tendency of Ferrari drivers to interfere with each other has been a recurring theme, particularly after incidents like the one in Monza, where Leclerc pushed Hamilton into the gravel during the first lap.
In the qualifying for this race, Leclerc and Hamilton finished in fourth and fifth places, respectively. The first corner of the Circuit of the Americas, a very tight left turn, has proven to be a problematic point in the past. Last season, two McLaren drivers collided in this same corner, paving the way for Max Verstappen’s victory.
Despite not being positioned next to each other on the grid, the proximity of the two drivers could lead to encounters during the first lap. Following the Monza incident, team principal Frederic Vasseur held private discussions to clarify the situation between Leclerc and Hamilton. However, Leclerc assured that no specific rules have been set for Turn 1 at COTA.
“No, we know which line should not be crossed,” Leclerc stated. “There have been times during the year when both Lewis and I have made mistakes, and we do not want that to happen again.”
The similarities between the Monza incident and McLaren’s situation at COTA last year are notable. In both cases, the drivers attempted to adopt racing lines in a confined space, with the risk of collisions.
Despite everything, the impact of the Monza incident was minimal for Ferrari, as both cars were able to continue. However, Hamilton’s attitude, which positioned his car in such a way that forced Leclerc to make a difficult decision, complicated the situation for the team.
Both drivers remain in the mathematical battle for the championship, although Leclerc’s options are more limited. The question that remains is: how willing are they to cooperate? Leclerc did not dismiss it but remained reserved. “Teamwork is always important, but on a track like this, there isn’t much that can be done to hinder the other team. The best option is always to avoid each other, regardless of the situation.”
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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