‘I don’t race dirty’: Lewis Hamilton demands Ferrari set ‘rules of engagement’ after Leclerc clash

Lewis Hamilton has urged Ferrari to establish clear “rules of engagement” after a tense opening-lap confrontation with Charles Leclerc overshadowed the team’s home Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

The Ferrari teammates started from the second row, with Leclerc and Hamilton lining up alongside each other. Their battle began almost immediately, with Hamilton attempting to move ahead at the opening chicane.

Leclerc defended aggressively, forcing Hamilton wide at the exit of Turn 2 and sending him through the gravel.

Hamilton was furious over team radio, telling Ferrari that Leclerc had pushed him off the circuit. The incident dropped him down the order and made an already difficult afternoon even more challenging. He eventually recovered to finish sixth, but the disagreement between the two Ferrari drivers remained his main concern after the race.

Leclerc's afternoon ended in even more dramatic fashion when he crashed at the Parabolica at high speed. The Monegasque was taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks and was subsequently declared fit and uninjured.

Hamilton believes Ferrari's current approach to allowing its drivers to race each other needs to be reconsidered.

He pointed to his time at Mercedes as an example, explaining that the team had written guidelines governing battles between teammates.

“Here there are no rules,” said Hamilton . “And that’s something that needs to change. When I was at Mercedes we had written rules of engagement. And we never had it too bad.

“There was a moment with me and Nico a couple of times. But more often than not, it was good. Here there are no rules.”

The seven-time world champion also insisted that he has no intention of racing unfairly and believes he's consistently tried to leave his teammates sufficient space.

“I don’t race dirty. I’ve always raced clean, and fairly, and always left space. So I don’t think they should be worried about me,” said Hamilton .

“I’ve come into the team and tried to be respectful of space. And definitely not to put the team in jeopardy. And I stand by that.”

Ferrari must decide how far to let its drivers race

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur admitted that the opening-lap confrontation wasn't a positive outcome for the team. However, he stopped short of announcing immediate team orders and explained that Ferrari had deliberately allowed Hamilton and Leclerc to compete freely.

“I spoke to Lewis for two seconds and not at all with Charles,” Vasseur said.

“We'll have time to discuss that. I prefer to discuss with them first.”

Vasseur also acknowledged that the situation could eventually require a change. While team orders can protect valuable points, imposing them too early can create another set of problems, particularly when both drivers believe they have a legitimate chance to fight for victories.

Leclerc appeared to accept that the battle had gone too far, saying afterwards that “we went too far”. Hamilton , however, rejected the idea that both drivers were equally responsible. He argued that he was already ahead at the apex of Turn 2 and therefore didn't believe there was a shared responsibility for what happened.

The Monza result added further pressure to Hamilton's championship campaign. He now trails Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli by 76 points after Antonelli secured a remarkable victory at the Italian Grand Prix.

The incident has raised an uncomfortable question for Ferrari. Allowing two competitive drivers to fight freely can produce spectacular racing, but it can also cost the team points when neither is willing to give way.

With the championship continuing in Madrid next weekend, Vasseur now faces the task of deciding whether Ferrari needs clearer boundaries.