Damon Hill offers Ferrari solution to Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc tension
Damon Hill has weighed in on the drama between Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
1996 Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill has urged Ferrari to make Lewis Hamilton its number one driver.
Tensions between Hamilton and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc ramped up following an opening-lap clash at last weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix, leaving question marks over the relationship between the pair.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton hit out at Leclerc for his “do or die” approach and doubled down on his criticism ahead of this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix, insisting he will “not be silenced”. Hamilton also agreed with suggestions that Leclerc races him harder than his F1 rivals.
Hill weighed in on the increasing tensions between the Ferrari drivers and believes the Scuderia should now give Hamilton number one status.
“Here is where I stand on the Lewis v Charles debate, and I made this point in my commentary on BBC 5 Live on Sunday in Mexico; make Lewis #1 Ferrari driver. Sort it out. Make it clear. Ends all debate. Lewis will deliver for Ferrari. If they back him 100%,” Hill wrote on Twitter.
Speaking in the Interlagos paddock on Thursday, Hamilton said: "I can see what you see. Singapore, he was fully wheel to wheel, fully on the inside, had won the lead in Turn 1 in Singapore and backed off.
"Definitely [Leclerc races them] different. If you look at the team-mates, it's the same with Sebastian [Vettel], it's the same with Carlos [Sainz]."
On his furious radio messages to Ferrari during the race in Mexico, Hamilton added: "I've always tried to be respectful. Naturally, it's not so easy having someone like me come into a team because I'm very outspoken and I push and push and push, push for so many changes.
“And I'm going to be pushing for more. And as long as I'm here, that's how it's going to be. I'm here to win. To be able to win, you have to work with everyone around you."
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is set to hold crunch talks with his drivers in Brazil to discuss their costly opening-lap battle in Mexico.
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