Ferrari F1 boss rejects Lewis Hamilton request after showdown talks

Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari F1 boss rejects Lewis Hamilton request after showdown talks

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Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Thursday 10 September 2026 18:46 Updated: 18:54

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Lewis Hamilton has revealed that his Ferrari team have not made any movement towards introducing 'rules of engagement' despite his recent frustrations - although he remains optimistic that that will change.

The British driver revealed in Madrid that he has sat down with team principal Fred Vasseur since the Italian Grand Prix, describing the conversation as positive despite some 'different opinions'.

The seven-time world champion's frustrations became apparent during last month's Dutch Grand Prix, which famously featured him complaining vociferously on team radio that team-mate Charles Leclerc was not allowing him past despite their difference in pace and tyre wear, with Hamilton blaming that decision for the team missing out on a podium finish.

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Hamilton ended up issuing a public apology for his post-race complaints, but the team dynamic came to the fore once again two weeks later in Italy when Leclerc shoved him off the track at the second corner as the Brit was attempting a pass.

The veteran driver claimed after the race that the team 'need to try and address' the lack of formalised rules of engagement between the two drivers, saying that his old Mercedes team had written rules.

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Hamilton: We can't change things in two days

"I think it comes down to rules of engagement," he said at Monza.

"When I was at Mercedes, we had written rules of engagement, so we never really, really got too bad."

He added: "Here there are no rules, and I think that's something that we need to try and address."

Hamilton spoke to the media on Thursday ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix and confirmed that he has had discussions with Leclerc and team principal Vasseur, but said that the topic of 'rules of engagement' wasn't raised - thanks in part to the short turnaround between back-to-back races.

"It was not [discussed]," he said.

"Right now, I'm just trying to focus on having a better weekend this weekend. I'm sure at some stage, we'll discuss how we can be better, but we've not had a lot of time since turnaround. We can't change things in two days."

He also said: "It's been really positive. Spoke to Fred on Monday, and we just had a discussion of..., naturally, we're going to always have different opinions, but at the end of the day, we come together, and we find a way forward.

"So that's the positives of where we've got to over the past 15 months or whatever it is. We've got to a place where we have really great communication in internally, and same with me and Charles."

Hamilton reveals clear-the-air talks with Leclerc

Hamilton also revealed he had an 'open and honest' sit-down with Leclerc in the short gap between races, which he also appeared positive about.

"I think what's great is that there was no shying away from having a discussion. We sat face to face, just him and I, and talked about it. And we were just both open and honest, and we squashed it, and we can move on. And I think that shows the maturity of from him, and I think it's healthy.

"It's a relationship we have built over time. Of course, there are going to be frustrations, there's going to be times where we're kind of there will there will I'm sure there'll be more times we are close because we're very close in pace.

"We both want to win just as much as each other, and we both want to do well for the team as well. So but, yeah, I think it's a real positive."