Leclerc says Hamilton dispute feels settled after Ferrari talks

Charles Leclerc says he now considers the dispute with Lewis Hamilton settled after the pair met Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur in São Paulo on Thursday. Speaking after Friday practice, Leclerc called the meeting productive, said it was necessary to air any remaining frustration and added that he did not think the matter should be discussed much further.

The talks followed contact between the Ferrari drivers at Turn 4 on the opening lap of Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix. Both ran wide, and Leclerc rejoined ahead of Hamilton across the grass. After the clash, Hamilton said there were “big problems”, and Ferrari scheduled fresh internal talks.

It was another flashpoint after a similar first-lap dispute at Monza in September. Leclerc took responsibility for the Monza collision and sat down with Hamilton to resolve it. He said the timing had made it difficult to talk sooner: he became a father for the first time in the days after the Mexico race, and the pair had not necessarily had time to discuss the incident.