Far too late for title fight priority - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has stated that it is far too late for Ferrari to give him priority over teammate Charles Leclerc in the championship fight following a disappointing weekend at the Italian Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion started fourth and finished sixth, pushed onto the grass by Leclerc after a wheel-to-wheel battle at the first chicane.

Leclerc subsequently crashed at Parabolica, leaving Hamilton as Ferrari's sole chance for a top-three finish. With Mercedes securing a one-two finish, Hamilton now trails his team-mate and title leader by 10 points and 76 points respectively. Hamilton believes the decision has gone too far and emphasizes his commitment to racing clean and fairly, denying any suggestion that tensions between himself and Leclerc may escalate into a feud.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur acknowledged the incident as not good but stressed that decisions on team orders are often necessary. Hamilton urged Ferrari to reconsider their communication strategy, expressing frustration with the team's inability to move Leclerc earlier to allow him a podium challenge. Leclerc himself described the collision as way too close into turn one, further complicating the dynamics between the two Ferrari drivers.