Charles Leclerc makes first public comment on Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari saga after several digs from teammate

Charles Leclerc has spoken out for the first time since his controversial clash with Lewis Hamilton at the Mexico City GP.

The Brit has waged a war of words against his Ferrari teammate since their coming together looked to have cost the team a win in Mexico.

Now, for the first time this weekend, Leclerc has had his chance to weigh in on the matter following Hamilton’s harsh comments, mentioning the "frustration" between the two.

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Charles Leclerc speaks out after heavy criticism from Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton

The 2026 Mexico GP saw a thrilling and highly controversial opening, with Charles Leclerc attempting to snatch the lead from Lewis Hamilton, in a move which ultimately sent them both off.

This essentially handed the win to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with Hamilton left furious during and after the race.

One week on and the Brit hadn’t cooled, doubling down on his comments.

“I don’t really care what everyone thinks about what I said, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I say how I feel in the moment,” he said. “Of course there’s sometimes you say things and maybe you might regret it afterwards. I don’t.

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“I’m never going to apologise for being authentic and real and I’m not going to be silenced. I have not been asked to not say anything and that’s just the way it is.”

Leclerc, who arrived later than most to the Interlagos circuit this weekend after the birth of his first child, Bianca, has now had a chance to give his view on the incident.

“It was really good to discuss all together,” he said.

“Obviously, for me, it’s been a bit of a crazy week, and positively, because I became a father for the first time, so we didn’t necessarily have time to discuss.

“I think discussing whatever is left, or whatever frustration is left, was needed. Now I feel it’s fully settled, and I don’t think we should be speaking about it too much going forward.”

Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur forced to broker peace between drivers

Due to the different commitments this week between Hamilton, Leclerc and their Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur, the three weren’t able to meet until the Sao Paulo GP weekend itself.

Now, the principal believes an agreement has been reached.

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“We spoke yesterday evening because I had to fly back to Europe between the two races," he said.

"It went well. It was good to discuss things and clarify my position and their positions. Now we turn the page and focus on the next one.

"I think they've accumulated a bit of frustration because they're starting each weekend side by side, and you have an accumulation of incidents. At the end of the day, the guidelines are always the same. They need to respect each other. They're two competitors with a fighting spirit, but they need to respect one another.

“Mainly, and firstly, they need to respect the brand, the team, the people working at home and the people working at the track. We're putting a lot of effort into this, and the message was clear and will stay clear."

Hamilton will face an uphill battle in tomorrow’s race, having been given a five-place grid penalty following the fitting of his fifth Internal Combustion Unit (i.e. the engine itself), with four permitted in one season.

Now, after a number of engine component changes, his rival Max Verstappen will start from the back of the grid, and George Russell will get a five-place penalty for the same reason as Hamilton.