Hamilton Admits Speaking Out Made Ferrari Switch Even Harder

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that his outspoken personality has made his transition to Ferrari more difficult than it might have been for a quieter driver.

Speaking to media in Brazil ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion acknowledged that his arrival at Maranello was never going to be a smooth fit.

"Naturally, it's not so easy having someone like me come into a team, because I'm very outspoken and I push and push and push," Hamilton said, according to Yahoo Sports.

Hamilton joined Ferrari at the start of the 2025 season after a legendary career at Mercedes.

His teammate, Charles Leclerc, has been with Ferrari for eight years and has won nine races for the team.

Hamilton said that Leclerc's deep roots inside the organization have made it harder for him to settle in.

"He's been here a long time," Hamilton said.

"Eight years and had nine wins with the team. He is very much embedded within the team, and I know that it would always be a challenge."

The tension between the two drivers boiled over at the Mexican Grand Prix on the opening lap.

Hamilton had started from pole position.

Leclerc attempted an overtake into Turns 1 and 2, and then tried to go around the outside of Hamilton at Turn 4.

Both drivers ran off the track.

Hamilton dropped from first to third behind Max Verstappen.

Leclerc received a five-second penalty for the incident.

After the race, Hamilton said over team radio that his teammate had "pushed him off."

He later told reporters that he believed Leclerc was "working against him."

"So we're going into Turn 4, first and second," Hamilton said after the race.

"If we just held position, I think anything can happen in the race, but when your teammate works against you, and then you lose positions like that, it's definitely tough."

Hamilton called for "serious talks" within the team following the race.

Four days later, in Brazil, Hamilton expanded on the situation.

He said he has always tried to build a good relationship with Leclerc.

"I've always respected that, and I've approached the team and really worked hard to build a good relationship with Charles and bridge the gap and make sure that we're harmonious and work hard together," Hamilton said.

"Always tried to be respectful."

But he also made clear that he will not change who he is.

"I push for so many changes," he added.

"And I'm going to be pushing for more. And as long as I'm here, that's how it's going to be."

Hamilton said his goal is to win, and that requires pushing everyone around him — including himself.

"I'm here to win, and to be able to win, you have to work with everyone around you," he said.

"You have to push, and I have to push. I have to be pushed also to elevate. We can all always elevate and be better, and I truly believe that this team can be fighting for the championship next year."

This is not the first time Hamilton's directness has created friction inside a team.

During his time at Mercedes, Hamilton's rivalry with teammate Nico Rosberg grew so intense that team principal Toto Wolff swapped the mechanics' assignments between the two cars before the 2016 season.

Rosberg recalled the moment on the Beyond the Grid podcast.

"There were changes inside the garage over the winter," Rosberg said.

"Do you remember the team swapped some mechanics between the cars? That was tough."

Rosberg said the internal competition had become unhealthy.

"It was really starting to build a proper wall in between the two cars because the mechanics started to also compete, and the engineers started to compete," Rosberg said.

"And when you start to see that, and maybe some pieces of information are not shared in the most open way anymore as they used to be, because the mechanics also want their car to win, and the engineers want their car to win."

Wolff's solution was to swap the mechanics without warning anyone.

"Toto was aware of this, and so he did such an extreme chop, like came in so hard without any warning to anybody, and then switched our mechanics over," Rosberg said.

"My mechanics are my family, so I come into the garage, Melbourne, Friday free practice, and my family is on Lewis's car."

Rosberg said he initially thought his car had been moved to the other side of the garage.

"I look at the car number; it's Lewis's car," Rosberg said.

"So I'm like, 'What on earth is going on here?' And then I get informed. 'Yeah, there's been a change, and you weren't consulted.'"

Rosberg admitted that Hamilton's mechanics became, in his words, "my enemies" — though he acknowledged he was speaking extremely.

"And they're my enemies, Lewis' mechanics; I'm saying it more extremely, but they want Lewis to win, not me," Rosberg said.

"So not my enemies, but they're my..."

Hamilton's current situation at Ferrari echoes some of those dynamics.

He has now clashed with Leclerc in multiple races this season.

The Italian Grand Prix in September also saw the two Ferrari drivers lose positions due to infighting.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur did not single out either driver in his post-race comments in Mexico.

Hamilton said Thursday in Brazil that he and Vasseur have not yet had a detailed conversation about the incident.

"Well, we haven't really had the time to speak much in depth," Hamilton said.