Martin Brundle suspects Ferrari were uncomfortable with what Charles Leclerc just did vs Lewis Hamilton

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Lewis Hamilton is getting closer to Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, and it may not be long before this creates some challenges for the team. The anticipated rivalry didn’t develop prior to the summer break as Hamilton struggled.

But since F1 has returned, Hamilton has been within two places of Leclerc in every competitive session (when both are classified). He’s beaten the Monegasque in four of those – the Azerbaijan GP, Singapore qualifying and both Austin Sprint events.

The caveat to his intra-team triumph at Baku was that Hamilton was supposed to let Leclerc back through after failing to overtake the cars in front, but slowed too late on the final straight. Last weekend, though, there were no team orders at play as the two drivers did battle.

It’s been an exceedingly rare sight in 2025, which made it all the more exciting for the neutral. Leclerc was magnanimous when Hamilton passed him in the Sprint, but he held firm in the Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc got ‘too close for comfort’

Leclerc defended the inside hard during the Sprint, but left enough room for Hamilton to squeeze through in the turn 12 braking zone, albeit with the aid of the run-off.

With the two drivers running second and fourth respectively, Leclerc’s ongoing squabble with Lando Norris in the opening stint kept Hamilton close.

After Norris finally got through, Hamilton sensed an opportunity. Going into the same corner, he tried to execute a move around the outside this time.

• READ MORE: Charles Leclerc seethes at Max Verstappen in unbroadcast radio message at United States Grand Prix

Leclerc held the apex, and when Hamilton tried a switch-back manoeuvre, he pushed him to the extremities of the track at turn 13, with the two drivers almost touching. Writing in his column for Sky Sports, pundit Martin Brundle suggested that Leclerc may have been overly aggressive in his defence.

“Ferrari also clearly had a much better race car than qualifier, and both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton looked more comfortable in the two races and carried good pace,” he wrote. “Occasionally they would be rather too close for comfort for the team.”

Martin Brundle praises Charles Leclerc’s defence against Lando Norris

It’s worth noting that there were no complaints from Hamilton either on the radio or in his interviews. Perhaps, if he does have any qualms, he will raise them privately in team meetings instead.

The mutual respect between the two drivers, who have been frontrunners together since 2019, is evident.

Brundle also praised Leclerc’s resistance against Norris, with the McLaren driver requiring 21 laps to execute a move in the first stint and only winning the fight for a good on lap 51 out of 56.

“The best entertainment of the day was Leclerc versus Norris… In many ways it was a shame because it’s highly likely Lando could have at least challenged Max out front, but it wasn’t to be,” wrote Brundle.

“We did enjoy some very hard but fair racing by Norris and Leclerc, with the young Brit having to pass him twice as on a contrary strategy Ferrari pitted Leclerc on lap 22 for new medium compound tyres, whilst McLaren were obliged to wait until lap 32 before pitting their man for used soft compound tyres, which put him behind the Monegasque again.

“Cue another feisty pass in the closing stages.”