Hamilton urges Ferrari to define team-order protocol after Monza clash

Lewis Hamilton finished sixth at the Italian Grand Prix after Charles Leclerc forced him onto the gravel on the opening lap, an incident Hamilton said highlighted Ferrari’s failure to establish clear internal procedures. The clash prompted a red-flag when Leclerc later spun into the Parabolica barrier, and the weekend left Ferrari 122 points behind Mercedes in the constructors’ standings.

Hamilton told reporters that the team’s “rules of engagement” are undefined, contrasting it with the written guidelines he experienced at Mercedes. > "I think it comes down to rules of engagement. When I was at Mercedes, we had a written rule of engagement. Here, there are no rules," he said.

He added that the lack of clear directives has caused the team to lose ground to rivals, noting that decisions are often made too late to affect race outcomes. > "From today, we've just lost so much ground to them [Mercedes] on points. It's far too late for those decisions to come. It's many, many weeks too late," Hamilton said.

Ferrari’s internal challenges were also referenced by Leclerc, who described the incident as a mutual error but acknowledged the need for better communication. Both drivers indicated that the team will review procedures after the next race to avoid similar incidents.

The episode has broader implications for the championship, as Hamilton’s sixth place widened the gap to Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, while Ferrari’s internal discord threatens its position in both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.