Lewis Hamilton has demanded a “written rules of engagement” after he accused Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc of driving him off the track at Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.
Hamilton started fourth but ended the opening lap in Monza in 10th after he ran wide at the opening chicane following a duel with Leclerc.
“Charles drove me off,” said Hamilton over the radio. Leclerc crashed out on the second lap after losing control of his Ferrari at 160mph through the Curva Parabolica.
Hamilton managed to drive back to third only to take the chequered flag in sixth on a poor afternoon for the seven-time world championship and his Ferrari team on home soil.
Hamilton is now 76 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli – the equivalent of three victories – with only 10 scheduled rounds remaining.
“Look I don’t race dirty, I have always raced clean and fairly and always left space, so I don’t think they should be worried about me,” said Hamilton.
“I’ve come into the team and tried to be respectful of space. But ultimately it comes from the top. It trickles down. So, it starts with (team principal) Fred (Vasseur). And there’s only so much you can say, and push, and shout from the mountaintop.
“I’ve already said that we had to look at how we communicate because if we continue to travel the same path, we’ll get the same result.
“We’ve got to change things because it’s not helping us move forward. They’re receptive to it and we’ll take it offline, to look at how procedurally we can do things differently. We’re just not executing as well as we can. And it comes down to rules of engagement.
“When I was at Mercedes we had written rules of engagement. And we never really had it too bad. There was a moment with me and Nico (Rosberg) a couple of times. But more often than not, it was good. Here there are no rules. And I think that’s something that needs to probably change.
“I don’t want to get into arguing and fighting about my team. I’m trying my hardest to help this team get to where it needs to be.”
Hamilton began the weekend dreaming of winning Ferrari’s home race to enhance his outside hope of clinching a record eighth world championship. However, Antonelli’s seventh win of the year provides the Italian with clear daylight in the title race.
“It’s never over until it’s over,” said Hamilton. “I don’t how many points it is now, but it’s an amount and with the pace that they (Mercedes) have, it is a very, very difficult amount to close up.
“I just feel massively gutted for the Tifosi who showed up for us today and the guys back at the factory who really are giving it everything. It’s tough because I’m giving it everything I can. But sometimes it’s just not enough. You need everything to come together.”