Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both confirm there are no bad feelings between them as the rivals reveal the truth of their relationship following a tense F1 2025 Miami GP on Sunday, May 4, which was full of drama for Ferrari.
On a weekend when the team didn’t particularly expect to be competitive due to their weakness under braking and in slow speed corners, it became even worse than they expected when they found themselves racing Williams.
Pressured by Carlos Sainz throughout the second stint of the race following virtual safety cars, the Scuderia faced a very real prospect of finishing eighth and ninth at the Miami International Autodrome.
But there was also the chance for a better result too as Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes was tantalisingly within touching distance, a handful of seconds up the road and both drivers felt they had the tools to potentially catch him.
This led to tense radio messages as Hamilton, on the softer tyres, wanted team orders to chase after the Italian whilst the Monegasque racer had a similar frame of mind once his more durable hard tyres came into their own life.
Both drivers become frustrated over the radio waves at Ferrari’s indecisiveness but it isn’t anything personal as Leclerc answers the question: are he and Hamilton rivals after the F1 2025 Miami GP?
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“Theres no bad feelings with Lewis,” Leclerc told members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “I understand he wants to optimise as much as I want to try to optimise car potential.
“It’s just the car potential is this, which is frustrating.”
The 27-year-old wasn’t particularly keen to let his 40-year-old colleague go past him, worrying about the risk of dirty air and taking life away from his hard compound tyres in his own pursuit of Antonelli.
He was also concerned about the proximity of Sainz close behind, who was around a second away from the pair, as the Williams continued to hassle the Ferraris around the corners.
In light of knowing he was on the hards, which held a performance advantage over the mediums, Leclerc reveals he never wanted to give up the place to Hamilton anyway; although he understands why the 105-time Grand Prix winner was so eager to get ahead.
“Because I knew Lewis was on the medium,” Leclerc said. “He would struggle to go to the end a bit more than me, so we had to take care of tyres.
“But I understand as well that he wanted to try and do something different. I appreciate that, I would have done the same if I was him and trying to be a bit more aggressive with the medium tyres.”
Hamilton concurs with Leclerc: No problems, not rivals after Miami GP
Two elite racers can often see their relationship deteriorate but fortunately for Fred Vasseur, he can rest easy knowing his drivers aren’t souring to each other; at least not when it comes to the public agenda between the pair.
Both want the best result for themselves and the team, and that’s why Hamilton was pressing so intently for Ferrari to let him past Leclerc to catch Antonelli as the Brit insists he doesn’t have a problem with his colleague either.
“I got onto the medium tyre and felt the car really come alive and I felt super optimistic in that moment,” Hamilton told members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “And all I could see was a McLaren [Mercedes] up ahead and I thinking maybe we can get up to sixth or something.
“But we lost a lot of time in those laps where Charles and I were racing, and I was clearly quicker in that moment. I didn’t think the decision came quick enough, and for sure in that time, you’re like, “’Come on!’
“But yeah, that’s really kind of it. I don’t have any problems with either team or with Charles. I think we can do better, but there’s a bit with this car where we really need to improve.”
