Lewis Hamilton didn’t hold back after a chaotic Italian Grand Prix weekend, openly criticizing Ferrari’s lack of internal rules and admitting his championship hopes are all but over. The seven-time champion’s frustration boiled over after a rough Sunday at Monza.
Hamilton rolled into the Italian classic from fourth on the grid but crossed the line in sixth, watching both McLaren drivers and Max Verstappen sail past. As if that wasn’t painful enough, teammate Charles Leclerc’s afternoon ended in a heavy crash on lap three, moments after the two Ferraris had been battling each other.
“Charles pushed me off,” Hamilton told his team over the radio, before Leclerc slammed into the barriers. It was a messy moment that clearly left the 41-year-old simmering.
After the race, Hamilton made it clear where he thinks the problem starts. He pointed to the way Ferrari handles intra-team battles, suggesting the Scuderia could learn something from his former squad.
At Mercedes, Hamilton explained, there were written rules of engagement between teammates. He admitted there were flashes of tension with Nico Rosberg during their intense title fights, but insisted things mostly stayed under control. At Ferrari, according to Hamilton, there are no such guidelines.
“We need to address that,” he said, adding that the change has to come from the top. He named team principal Fred Vasseur directly, saying decisions trickle down from leadership and that communication needs a serious look.
Hamilton was also quick to defend his own approach, insisting he has never raced dirty and always leaves space. He said he came into Ferrari trying to respect everyone’s space and avoid putting the team in jeopardy, and he stands by that.
Then came the tough part. Hamilton admitted the championship math is no longer on his side. With a 76-point gap separating him from Antonelli, he conceded it’s “far too late” to turn things around.
Antonelli, meanwhile, delivered a storybook performance for Mercedes, charging from 19th on the grid to win on home soil after serving an engine penalty. For Hamilton, watching his old team celebrate while his new chapter struggles only added to the sting.
“All I can do is just try and turn up,” Hamilton said. “I’ll get up tomorrow morning and I’ll give it my best.”
The next chance to reset comes this weekend in Madrid, where Formula 1 returns for the first time in 45 years. The brand-new Madring circuit is unfamiliar territory for every driver on the grid, which could shake things up in unexpected ways.
Can Hamilton find some spark on a track nobody knows, or is this season already a write-off for the seven-time champion?
