Charles Leclerc insists he and Lewis Hamilton maintain a strong relationship after the pair had constructive conversations about last week's incident at the Italian Grand Prix.

During the opening lap at Monza, Hamilton was forced wide by Leclerc at the exit of the first chicane, an incident which cost him six positions having started the race in fifth.

Following the race, the seven-time world champion, who crossed the line in sixth, suggested that Ferrari had "no rules" in a scathing review of the Scuderia's tactics. 

Leclerc held onto third after the incident, which featured contact between the pair, but he then crashed out on the next lap, leaving Ferrari to suffer a dismal day at their home race.

In his post-race assessment, Leclerc took full blame for the incident, saying he went too far, while he revealed positive talks have been held ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. 

"What was very important was to speak first," Leclerc said. "It's been quite a few years now that I've been in Ferrari. 

"I know how it feels when everything in Ferrari is kind of on fire and if you don't speak between Lewis and me, you can get caught up in this noise around the team. 

"It's not that there's no reason for that noise, but the intensity of the noise is a bit too crazy.

"When you look at Monza, there has been friction between other team-mates, and we barely talk about it, but when it's about Ferrari, it takes a proportion that is not normal.

"We spoke with Lewis. We've always had a great relationship. I told him I didn't behave the way I should have and the way a team-mate should.

"It happens when you are super motivated, Lewis is super motivated, and I'm super motivated, and we all try to do our best.

"Sometimes you go too far, which I did, and we will retune that in order for it not to happen again in the future."

Taking in those new paddock sights pic.twitter.com/l135UltePj

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) September 10, 2026

After splitting the retirements in their first year together (two each for Hamilton and Leclerc in 2025), all three of Ferrari's retirements in 2026 have been for the Monegasque driver.

Leclerc's huge crash saw him suffer from blurred vision afterwards, though he said he was ready to help Ferrari bounce back in Spain this weekend. 

"I will be 100% fine. It was only right after the crash that I was just a little bit strange and felt a little bit dizzy, but very quickly, from Monday afternoon, I felt better," he said.

"I had quite a few treatments for the neck because that's that's where most of the shock went, and I'm feeling good now, so I'm ready for this weekend."

Hamilton is the only driver in 2026 who, in the first 13 races of the year, has completed 100% of the laps (798), though his result last time out dented his title hopes. 

Leader Kimi Antonelli is 76 points clear of Hamilton in the drivers' championship, while George Russell is also 10 points ahead of the Ferrari driver in the standings. 

Hamilton has asked for rules of engagement when it comes to racing with Leclerc, like he had at Mercedes, but he revealed that was not part of the discussions post-Monza.

"Right now, I'm just trying to focus on having a better weekend this weekend," Hamilton said. 

"I'm sure at some stage we'll discuss how we can be better, but we've not had a lot of time to just turn around. You can't change things in two days."

DRIVERS TO WATCH

Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes

After his stunning comeback drive to win in Monza last time out, Antonelli will be hoping to tighten his grip on the world championship in Spain. 

Antonelli has single-handedly achieved one more victory (seven) and one more fastest lap (seven) than the combined total of drivers in each category (six in total per category) in 2026, becoming the Italian with the most wins in a single season in Formula One history.

He also secured the 50th victory for an Italian driver in F1 history, surpassing Riccardo Patrese (six) as the second driver from the nation with the most wins in the sport, now only behind Alberto Ascari (13). 

More history could beckon for Antonelli here. The last Italian driver to win the Spanish Grand Prix was Luigi Fagioli back in 1934. 

A new challenge ahead pic.twitter.com/A4L2jZPEQK

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 9, 2026

Oscar Piastri – McLaren

It's been a difficult season so far for Piastri, who this time last year was putting together an impressive charge for the title, ultimately losing out to Lando Norris.

And one of his seven wins in 2025 came in Spain. Piastri could achieve more than one victory in the same country for the first time in his career.

However, he has gone nine consecutive races without a podium finish, since his podium finishes in Japan and Miami at the beginning of the campaign. 

Following Piastri's victory in Barcelona last year, which included a one-two finish for McLaren, the British team could secure two consecutive wins at this grand prix for the first time this century.

Of McLaren's nine wins at this grand prix, eight have come from the front row (only the first, Jochen Mass in 1975, was achieved off the front row, starting 11th at Montjuic Park).

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers'

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 267

2. George Russell (Mercedes) – 201

3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 191

4. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 171

5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 155

Constructors'

1. Mercedes – 468

2. Ferrari – 346

3. McLaren – 287

4. Red Bull – 204

5. Racing Bulls – 75