Lewis Hamilton has declared that the intra-team tension he faces at Ferrari with Charles Leclerc pales in comparison to the ferocious battles he endured at Mercedes, calling those rivalries “way worse.” The seven-time world champion’s blunt assessment comes after a fiery clash with Leclerc on the opening lap of the Mexico City Grand Prix last weekend, which saw both drivers run off track and hand Max Verstappen a golden opportunity to seize victory.

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The incident unfolded dramatically as Leclerc aggressively challenged Hamilton for the race lead, resulting in contact that compromised both Ferrari drivers’ races. Hamilton voiced his frustration post-race, branding Leclerc’s move as “unnecessary” and lamenting the lost chance for a dominant Ferrari one-two finish. Leclerc was subsequently handed a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage illegally, further compounding Ferrari’s disappointment in Mexico.

Reflecting on the incident, Hamilton said, “If I’m coming from behind and I’m taking all the risk and it ends up that we lose as a team, then I think I have some answering to do, because it impacts a lot of people. But the other way around, I’m in the lead, and it was just unnecessary.” He emphasized how the fallout affected the entire team: “I think we could have easily had that one-two today, which would have been huge for the team and for everyone back at the factory who’s worked so hard to bring us these upgrades.”

Hamilton drew a stark contrast between the current Ferrari tension and his past rivalries, particularly with Nico Rosberg at Mercedes. “I’ve had way worse times at Mercedes,” he revealed to media including RacingNews365. “There were some really bad moments, but no, I don’t really see there being huge differences. It was managed well at Mercedes, and I think Fred’s doing his best. I think Fred came and spoke to me before the race, and I think he was nervous. He wants these two drivers to do well.”

The collision handed Verstappen and Red Bull the advantage to surge ahead, with Verstappen ultimately overtaking Leclerc to claim victory. Hamilton’s critique signals unresolved friction within Ferrari’s ranks, as he pointed out that no real action has been taken so far to address the internal clashes. “I don’t really know what will be done because up until now nothing really has been done. So, yeah, we’ll see,” Hamilton added.

This latest episode adds another layer of drama to Ferrari’s already intense season, underscoring the fragile balance between teammate rivalry and team success. Hamilton’s candid remarks highlight the challenge Ferrari faces in managing their star drivers if they aim to convert raw pace into championship glory.