Carlos Sainz Plays Down Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc Tension After Monza
Carlos Sainz has offered his perspective on the growing tension between Ferrari teammates Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc following their dramatic clash at the Italian Grand Prix, insisting that disagreements between highly competitive teammates are nothing unusual.
The Williams driver is speaking from personal experience. Sainz spent four seasons alongside Leclerc at Ferrari between 2021 and 2024 before making the move to Williams for the 2025 campaign. His departure from Maranello coincided with the arrival of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Hamilton, who took his place alongside Leclerc.
During Sainz and Leclerc’s time together, the two drivers were frequently closely matched. Their points totals over the period reflected just how competitive their partnership was, with Sainz accumulating 900.5 points compared with Leclerc’s 1,029.
Such a close battle inevitably produced moments of tension.
Although the pair generally maintained a strong professional relationship, there were several occasions when their rivalry spilled over onto the track. One example came at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix, when Sainz made contact with Leclerc while attempting an overtake.
Following the incident, Sainz accused his teammate of complaining excessively, demonstrating that even a generally positive partnership can experience moments of frustration when both drivers are pushing for the same result.
However, according to Sainz, the important thing was that disagreements never permanently damaged their relationship. Once the race was over and emotions had cooled, the two drivers would discuss what had happened and move forward.
That experience has led Sainz to believe that Leclerc and Hamilton should be capable of doing the same following their incident at Monza.
Speaking in Madrid, Sainz played down the possibility of a serious feud between the Ferrari drivers. He explained that when two teammates are competing at a high level, arguments and disagreements are inevitable.
Sainz said that during his own Ferrari partnership with Leclerc, similar situations occurred several times every season. The important factor, he suggested, was not avoiding every disagreement but resolving those disagreements before they became larger problems.
According to the Spaniard, teammates who are fighting for podiums and victories will naturally encounter situations in which one driver believes the other has handled a corner, strategy call or racing situation incorrectly.
Formula 1 is an environment where decisions can have immediate consequences, particularly during the opening laps of a race.
A battle into the first corner, a strategic decision or an attempt to overtake can easily create frustration when two teammates have competing interests.
Sainz believes that these moments are simply part of racing for a leading team.
His comments came after a controversial opening-lap incident at Monza involving Hamilton and Leclerc.
During the race start, Leclerc forced Hamilton onto the gravel, allowing the Monegasque driver to maintain third position while Hamilton fell down the order.
The situation became even more significant because Leclerc had already suffered an incident earlier in the race, crashing at the Parabolica on the second lap. Despite the drama, he ultimately retained his position ahead of Hamilton.
After the race, Leclerc appeared to acknowledge that both drivers had played a part in the incident. He suggested that the situation had gone too far and appeared to accept some responsibility for what had happened.
Hamilton strongly disagreed with that interpretation.
The seven-time world champion argued that there was no shared responsibility because he believed he had already established the advantage through the corner.
Hamilton was particularly firm when explaining his position, making it clear that he believed he had been ahead by the apex and therefore did not accept the suggestion that both drivers were equally responsible.
The incident was another example of the growing frustration surrounding Hamilton’s first season at Ferrari.
Hamilton subsequently defended his own approach to racing, insisting that he has always tried to compete fairly and leave sufficient space for other drivers.
He also emphasized that since joining Ferrari, he has attempted to respect the team and avoid putting the organization in unnecessarily difficult situations.
However, his comments suggested that he was increasingly frustrated with the way Ferrari was managing internal racing and strategy.
Hamilton pointed toward Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur when discussing responsibility for decisions within the team.
He argued that decisions made at the top of the organization ultimately influence what happens further down the structure. For Hamilton, improving communication and establishing clearer expectations could be essential if Ferrari wants to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
The British driver suggested that continuing to operate in the same way would simply lead to similar outcomes.
His frustration did not begin at Monza.
At the previous race in Zandvoort, Hamilton had already expressed disappointment over Ferrari’s handling of team orders when he was running behind Leclerc.
Hamilton believed that clearer instructions from the team could have improved his opportunity to fight for a podium position. Instead, he eventually finished fourth.
The series of incidents has contributed to growing questions about Ferrari’s internal management.
The team remains a major force in Formula 1, but its inability to consistently maximize opportunities has cost it valuable championship points.
Ferrari currently trails Mercedes by 122 points in the championship, adding further pressure to the team’s decision-making and race execution.
For Hamilton, one of the central issues appears to be the lack of clearly established rules governing how teammates should race each other.
He pointed to his time at Mercedes as an example of a different approach.
While competing for Mercedes, Hamilton said the team had formal rules governing interactions between teammates. Such guidelines were designed to clarify what drivers could and could not do when racing each other.
Hamilton acknowledged that even at Mercedes there were occasional moments of tension, particularly during his rivalry with Nico Rosberg.
However, he suggested that most of the time the arrangement worked effectively because both drivers understood the expectations.
At Ferrari, Hamilton believes that equivalent rules are currently missing.
That difference could become increasingly important as the championship progresses.
Both Hamilton and Leclerc are elite drivers with ambitions to win races and compete for major championships. Neither is likely to willingly surrender opportunities simply because they are teammates.
Sainz’s perspective, however, suggests that this does not necessarily mean their relationship is heading toward a serious breakdown.
The Spaniard has experienced similar tensions firsthand and believes that competitive teammates can disagree without allowing those disagreements to permanently damage their relationship.
His partnership with Leclerc demonstrates that point.
Despite their occasional clashes, Sainz and Leclerc were ultimately able to work together effectively and maintain a good relationship away from the immediate pressure of racing.
For Sainz, the key is communication.
Drivers may disagree immediately after an incident, but discussing what happened once emotions have settled can prevent frustration from becoming resentment.
That may now be the challenge facing Hamilton and Leclerc.
The Monza incident was undoubtedly controversial, but it does not necessarily need to define their relationship for the remainder of the season.
Ferrari, meanwhile, may need to address a broader issue by establishing clearer rules of engagement between its drivers.
If Hamilton’s concerns about communication and team orders continue, further incidents could become increasingly damaging.
Both drivers are capable of challenging for podiums and victories, meaning internal competition is unavoidable.
The real test for Ferrari will be ensuring that this competition remains productive rather than destructive.
Sainz’s message is therefore relatively simple: disagreements between teammates are normal, particularly when both are competing at the front.
What matters is how the drivers and the team respond afterward.
His own experience with Leclerc showed that arguments can be resolved through honest communication and mutual understanding.
Whether Hamilton and Leclerc can follow the same path remains to be seen.
For now, the Monza clash has highlighted potential weaknesses in Ferrari’s internal management, but it does not necessarily signal the beginning of a serious feud between its two drivers.
If Ferrari can establish clearer expectations and improve communication, the team may be able to turn its internal competition into an advantage rather than allowing it to become another source of lost points.
