SAO PAULO — Lewis Hamilton said he and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc had “squashed” the tension between them that followed their first lap tangle in Mexico.
He said they had resolved to work together for the team in Sunday’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The seven-time champion spoke after qualifying 11th in Saturday’s rain-hit qualifying at Interlagos where he will start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid after taking a penalty for using two new engines.
When asked if his relationship with Leclerc was improved after team boss Fred Vasseur held clear the air talks with them on Thursday evening, Hamilton said: “Fred hasn’t cleared the air. It was me and Charles.
“We sat and we spoke, we squashed it. And we’re moving on. We still have a huge amount of respect for each other.
“I’m glad we had a chat and now we move on. We’ve been getting along just fine, as normal.
“Sometimes in those certain scenarios, it just takes having a conversation.
“There’s been no demands from either side. It’s just been both of us giving our points in areas we can do better and support each other.
“I’m hoping to have better races now, moving forward,” he added according to AFP.
His comments came amid much discussion of Ferrari’s need to introduce “rules of engagement” for their drivers, a notion resisted by Vasseur.
Of his qualifying, he said: “I love qualifying and getting to drive in the rain – and this is such an amazing track to race in all conditions, but in the wet particularly.
Leclerc, who had returned to Monaco after Mexico for the birth of his daughter, qualified fourth but will start 14th due to serving a 10-place penalty for taking a new engine.
He agreed he and Hamilton had sorted out their problems.
“When we speak, things are much better straightaway,” he said.
“Of course, there is some tension. We want to finish ahead of each other and sometimes we are not going to do things right, but it’s OK to disagree sometimes on the way you see things.
“But discussing things helps a whole lot.”
