Hamilton Says Ferrari Team Orders 'Far Too Late' After Monza Setback

Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari have missed their chance to back him in the title fight after a bruising Italian Grand Prix, saying it is now “far too late” for the team to prioritise his championship bid.

Hamilton Furious With Ferrari

The Brit, who started fourth but finished sixth, was forced onto the grass by team‑mate Charles Leclerc during a wheel‑to‑wheel fight on lap one, dropping him to 10th.

Moments later, Leclerc crashed heavily at Parabolica, leaving Hamilton as Ferrari’s only contender for a strong result.

Hamilton never rejoined the battle at the front after the red‑flag restart, and Mercedes’ one‑two finish pushed him further behind in the standings.

He is now 10 points behind George Russell and 76 behind Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

“I think from today, we’ve just lost so much ground to [Mercedes] on points,” Hamilton said. “It’s too late. All I can do is just try and turn up… I’ll give it my best.”

Team Dynamics Under Scrutiny

Ferrari faced similar questions after Zandvoort, where Hamilton felt the team waited too long to move Leclerc aside despite being on different strategies.

His frustration boiled over on the radio - “Great way of wasting time, good job” - though he later apologised.

The Monza incident has intensified concerns about internal harmony.

Leclerc admitted the opening‑lap fight was “way too close into turn one,” saying he was unsure whether contact occurred.

Hamilton disagreed: “I was ahead in turn two by the ethics… There was no ‘we’ in it.”

Asked if fans should fear a feud, he said: “I don’t race dirty… I’ve come into the team and tried to be respectful of space.”

Team principal Frédéric Vasseur called the clash “not good” but stressed all teams face similar tensions.

He said Ferrari would discuss future team‑order decisions, adding: “At one stage you have to make a decision… Now we have time to discuss with the guys.”

Leclerc’s race ended with a high‑speed shunt, but he expects to race at next weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.