Ferrari feud explodes as Leclerc skips media after Hamilton crash.

Charles Leclerc will miss Thursday’s media duties at Interlagos after rushing back to Monaco following the Mexican Grand Prix for the birth of his daughter Bianca.

Leclerc and partner Alexandra announced the birth on Instagram, with the Ferrari driver now traveling back to Brazil in time for the race weekend.

Italian newspaper La Repubblica reports that Leclerc will only miss Thursday’s media day.

“And that’s probably even better for him,” the newspaper noted, given that questions about his Mexico clash with Lewis Hamilton “would have been inevitable.”

Leclerc will also sit out FP1, although that was already planned.

Dino Beganovic will drive his Ferrari in the opening session, with Rafael Camara no longer available for the originally expected appearance after being promoted into Esteban Ocon’s Haas race seat.

Meanwhile, criticism of Ferrari’s handling of its drivers continues apace.

Former Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene told Sky Italia that Leclerc came off second-best against Hamilton in Mexico in more than one way.

“We mustn’t forget – Leclerc was up against Hamilton, who brings enormous experience and cleverness,” he said.

“Both braked too late in the decisive moment, but Lewis had the experience to stay on the track, while Leclerc made a fool of himself.”

Arrivabene also said Ferrari now appears divided internally.

“Two drivers in the same box, but we see two different camps,” he stated.

He urged Frederic Vasseur to assert control.

“The team principal has to be the team principal, and the driver has to be the driver,” said Arrivabene.

“You are drivers and therefore employees of Ferrari. Period.”

Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo also said the incidents at Monza and Mexico “should make us reflect.”

Nico Rosberg warned that if Vasseur does not intervene, “the drivers will take matters into their own hands.”

Autosprint magazine was even harsher: “We have the car, but not the drivers or the team.”

Sky Italia presenter Mara Sangiorgio said Ferrari chairman John Elkann was also unimpressed.

“Vasseur publicly criticized both of his drivers in Mexico, and Elkann was certainly not happy after what he saw, also because the missed opportunities are starting to add up,” she said.

Lewis Hamilton has stated the intra-team tension was “way worse” at Mercedes compared to the current situation with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.

The duo endured a tense Sunday in Mexico City last weekend after Leclerc attacked Hamilton for the lead of the race on the opening lap, with both drivers running off the circuit.

Hamilton admitted after the race that he was very annoyed over the situation, with Red Bull and Max Verstappen capitalising on the situation to take the victory.

Hamilton has endured strain with his team-mates in the past, including with Fernando Alonso at McLaren and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes.

The seven-time champion asserted the rivalry he had with Rosberg was far more torturous than his skirmish with Leclerc.

“I’ve had way worse times at Mercedes,” Hamilton told media including RacingNews365.

“There were some really bad moments, but no, I don’t really see there being huge differences.

“It was managed well at Mercedes, and I think Fred’s doing his best. I think Fred came and spoke to me before the race, and I think he was nervous.

“He wants these two drivers to do well.”

Hamilton doubled down that the move was “unnecessary” from Leclerc as Ferrari missed out on adding a third victory trophy to its cabinet this year.

“If I’m coming from behind and I’m taking all the risk and it ends up that we lose as a team, then I think I have some answering to do, because it impacts a lot of people,” he said.

“But the other way around, I’m in the lead, and it was just unnecessary.

“I think we could have easily had that one-two today, which would have been huge for the team and for everyone back at the factory who’s worked so hard to bring us these upgrades.

“I don’t really know what will be done because up until now nothing really has been done. So, yeah, we’ll see.”

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera singled out Leclerc for brutal criticism following the clash.

Flavio Vanetti of Corriere blamed Leclerc’s apparent desire to beat Hamilton at all costs.

“Once again blinded by the desire to win, by the rush to get ahead. Granted, at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, being in the lead right from the start can be decisive,” Vanetti wrote.

“But then there’s also a long race to manage, with all its unexpected events. Exaggeration was the key word for the Mexican Leclerc, who ended up going to bed without a podium finish. His tough and beautiful defence of fourth place over Norris only added to the disappointment.”

Vanetti referenced Hamilton’s anger at Leclerc’s ill-fated move, but also posed an intriguing question which might now be giving the Scuderia some sleepless nights.