Charles Leclerc Expresses Disapproval Towards Lewis Hamilton Following Dutch GP Mistake

LEWIS HAMILTON appeared to have clashed with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc after a dramatic finish to the Dutch Grand Prix.

The Formula One racers concluded the Zandvoort event in fourth and fifth positions, narrowly missing the podium as George Russell achieved third place despite driving on older hard tires compared to Leclerc and Hamilton’s fresh soft tires.

However, as Hamilton chased down his former teammate during the last lap, Leclerc looked surprised when Hamilton backed off the throttle and slowed down.

This unexpected move forced the Monegasque driver to swerve, impacting his speed and sending him off track, kicking up dust.

As they crossed the finish line, Leclerc was seen driving up alongside Hamilton’s car.

The 28-year-old briefly looked at Hamilton’s vehicle and appeared to shake his head.

The reason for Leclerc’s reaction is unclear—whether it stemmed solely from the last lap incident or had additional context.

Over the team radio, Hamilton voiced his frustration with the team for not optimizing his time behind Leclerc when he felt he had the superior tires.

The 41-year-old expressed his disappointment post-race, saying: “I’m here to win, and I truly believe this team has what it takes to win.

“We couldn’t secure a victory today, but to win championships, you need to take advantage of every single point. The last few races have been tough with penalties and other issues, and today, I lost vital seconds behind Charles, which I believe could have impacted the result.”

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“Nevertheless, we will address this off the track. My goal is to lead this team to a championship, and there is still much work to be done.

“Today was undeniably frustrating for me.”

Leclerc shared Hamilton’s views regarding their strategy during the Zandvoort race.

He told Sky Sports: “I was confused as to why we had to pit so closely to George’s stop, as that practically guaranteed we would finish behind him.”

“With only a couple of laps difference, I felt limited in what I could do. I sensed I had more pace left with my tires. Despite Lewis and I being on different strategies at that moment, I believed that staying out a bit longer would have been the right choice.”

“Ultimately, it is what it is. We were largely unfortunate with the timing of the virtual safety car, but more importantly, I think we performed poorly in qualifying yesterday, and we suffered the effects of starting further back.”

Hamilton’s finish behind Russell allowed the 28-year-old to leapfrog Leclerc in the drivers’ championship standings, where they are now tied on points, with Russell leading due to more race wins.

Defending champion Lando Norris took first place, finishing ahead of the current season leader, Kimi Antonelli, after Max Verstappen endured a catastrophic crash on the opening lap of his home race.

Following the summer break, F1 will next head to Italy for Ferrari’s home race in Monza on September 6.

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