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Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton claimed that the tension during his Mercedes stint was "far worse" compared to his current dynamic with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.
The duo endured a fraught Sunday race in Mexico City after Leclerc challenged Hamilton for the lead on the opening lap. The move forced both drivers off the track, opening the door for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to capitalize and claim victory.
Speaking after the race, Hamilton admitted to being deeply frustrated by the incident. The Briton is no stranger to intense teammate rivalries, having partnered Fernando Alonso at McLaren and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes. According to Hamilton, the feud with Rosberg was far more grueling than his recent clash with Leclerc.
"I've experienced far tougher times at Mercedes," Hamilton told the media. "There were some truly terrible moments, so I don't see any massive difference here. It was managed well at Mercedes, and I believe Fred is doing his absolute best too. He came to speak with me before the race, and I think he was concerned because he naturally wants both of his drivers to succeed."
The lap-one skirmish allowed Verstappen to slip past Hamilton and subsequently Leclerc, who was handed a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. The blunder cost Ferrari a prime opportunity to secure their third win of the campaign.
Hamilton reiterated that his teammate's risk was completely unjustified:
"If I'm attacking from behind, taking all the risk, and it compromises the team, I have to take accountability because it affects so many people. In this instance, I was leading, and that move was simply unnecessary. We could have easily secured a one-two finish, which would have been huge for the team and everyone back at the factory who worked tirelessly on the upgrades."
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