“Far too late” for Ferrari to prioritise drivers as Lewis Hamilton's F1 title hopes fade

Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari is “many, many weeks too late” to prioritise him over Charles Leclerc, as he feels his Formula 1 title hopes are now “out of reach”.

The seven-time world champion finished a distant sixth on Sunday in the Italian Grand Prix, as an upgraded Ferrari engine failed to get him on par with Mercedes.

He was also forced to finish the race on well-worn tyres, as Ferrari didn’t pit him under a late virtual safety car.

All of that came after he fell to 10th on the opening lap when team-mate Charles Leclerc squeezed him onto the gravel on the exit of Turn 2 as they battled for position.

Leclerc, who crashed out of the race on lap two, escaped punishment from the FIA stewards, though Hamilton was frustrated over team radio.

The incident once again raised questions over Ferrari’s operational abilities during races, particularly in prioritising Hamilton’s championship position above Leclerc’s, following its failure to swap positions at Zandvoort.

On this topic, Hamilton offered a deflated response on Sunday at Monza to the media: “I think today we just lost so much ground on points.

“It’s far too late for those decisions to come. It’s many, many weeks too late.

“All I can do is turn up. I’ll get up tomorrow morning and give my best. I think ultimately today I feel massively gutted for the Tifosi, who showed up for us today.

“The guys back at the factory, who really, really are giving it everything. Yesterday we didn’t really execute that well, and I think the same today.

“It’s tough because I’m giving it everything I can, but sometimes it’s not enough; you need all the other stuff to come together.

“It’s never over till it’s over. [But] it’s an amount that, with the pace that they have, it’s a very difficult amount to close up.”

Speaking to Sky Sports, Hamilton said Mercedes is “out of reach” in the standings, with Monza winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli 76 points clear of the Ferrari driver.

"If we keep travelling the same path, we will get the same results"

On Ferrari’s operational issues, Hamilton added that the team “keeps getting the same results”, suggesting a change in approach must come from the very top.

“Ultimately, it comes from the top,” he said.

“It trickles down, the decisions - and it starts with Fred [Vasseur].

“And there’s only so much you can say, only so much you can push and shout from the mountaintop.

“Yesterday I said we’ve got to look at how we communicate, because if we continue to travel the same path, we get the same result.

“We keep getting the same result. We’ve got to change things because this is not helping us move forward. I think they are receptive to it.”

Hamilton also doubled down on his own “clean and fair” driving tactics when asked if Ferrari fans should be worried about his and Leclerc’s relationship potentially deteriorating.

“I don’t race dirty,” he said.

“I’ve always raced clean and fair, and given space. So, I don’t think they [fans] should be worried about me.

“I’ve come into the team and tried to be respectful of space, and definitely not put the team in jeopardy.

“I stand by that and that’s all that I can talk about is my side.

“You’d have to speak to Fred and the other side and the decisions that are taken there. But I’ll keep pushing and try to get more from the team and from our car and from the engineers.”