Charles Leclerc takes swipe at Lewis Hamilton after Ferrari team orders fiasco

Charles Leclerc has laid down the gauntlet after F1 team-mate Lewis Hamilton failed to obey Ferrari team orders at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion endured yet another weekend to forget in Baku, making a Q2 exit on Saturday and finding himself unable to achieve a better finish than eighth on Sunday.

However, Hamilton’s finishing position should have been ninth, had Ferrari not called team orders and allowed the Brit past Leclerc on fresher tyres to chase down the cars in front.

The switch was made on the understanding that if Hamilton did not catch his rivals ahead, he would then hand the place back to Leclerc before the chequered flag.

Yet, the champion failed to slow down enough as he approached the line, and ended up finishing ahead of Leclerc, who instead had to settle for P9.

Hamilton and Leclerc explain Baku confusion

In their post-race interviews, both Hamilton and Leclerc referred to the fiasco with differing degrees of severity, with Leclerc hinting that the rules were not respected.

"I mean, there are rules that we know we've got to work with. And today maybe those rules were not respected," the Monegasque racer explained to the media.

"But, again, P8-P9, P9-P8, that's more going forward obviously, if we are fighting for sexier positions, which I hope it would be the case, then I hope that we will work in a different way."

However, when speaking to Sky Sports, Leclerc appeared less bothered by the incident, and said: "Honestly, for a P8 or a P9 it's not going to be a big talking point. I don't really mind.

"Obviously these are things we agree between us and the general rules of how we want to work whenever there is a swap.

"It didn't happen, and that's ok. It's not like I would have been a lot happier being P8, so I don't mind."

In Hamilton’s interview with Sky, the champion explained: "Firstly...obviously I was quicker [in that moment of the race] but Charles was gracious to let me by.

"At the end I got the message really late on, and I was like zoned in on the car in front of me, even though there was like 0.0001% chance of passing, I was still hopeful maybe.

"And basically I did lift on the straight, and did actually brake, but he missed it by like four tenths.

"That was just a misjudgement by myself. I'll apologise to Charles. At the end of the day that's [only] eighth and ninth."

F1 HEADLINES: Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari blunder as FIA confirm Baku penalty

READ MORE: FIA summon George Russell for 'doping test' after Baku drama

F1 RESULTS: Verstappen THRASHES McLaren as title race takes huge twist at Azerbaijan Grand Prix

READ MORE: Hamilton snubbed as Ferrari legend green lights Verstappen signing

Related