Charles Leclerc says the tension with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari is now settled after a meeting with team principal Fred Vasseur in São Paulo on Thursday. The Monégasque driver revealed the talks were necessary to vent “frustration” and restore harmony ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

Contact in Mexico City reignited the friction

The meeting came after another incident between the two Ferrari drivers during the Mexico City Grand Prix. On the opening lap, contact at Turn 4 sent both cars wide, with Leclerc rejoining ahead of Hamilton across the grass.

The clash escalated ongoing friction between the pair that first flared during a similar incident at Monza in September. Leclerc had accepted responsibility for the Monza collision and sought to resolve matters with Hamilton promptly, but the fresh Mexico collision rekindled old tensions.

Hamilton described the situation as having “big problems,” prompting Ferrari to arrange a dedicated internal discussion to address the fallout.

Leclerc: “Now I feel it’s fully settled”

Leclerc, who became a father for the first time shortly after the Mexico race, admitted that the timing complicated efforts to tackle the issue sooner. Reflecting on Thursday’s São Paulo talks, he described the dialogue as “really good” and essential for clearing the air.

“Obviously, for me, it’s been a bit of a crazy week, and positively because I became a father for the first time, so we didn’t necessarily have time to discuss,” Leclerc told the media, including RacingNews365, after Friday practice.

He stressed the importance of resolving lingering frustrations to move forward: “I think discussing whatever is left, or whatever frustration is left, was needed. Now I feel it’s fully settled, and I don’t think we should be speaking about it too much going forward.”

This candid admission highlights the pressures mounting within Ferrari’s garage as they strive to maintain team unity amid high-stakes battles on track. Leclerc’s willingness to confront tensions head-on and the involvement of team principal Vasseur signal Ferrari’s commitment to managing internal rivalries carefully as the championship intensifies.