F1 journalist Piergiuseppe Donadonihas accused Lewis Hamilton of 'playing politics' at Ferrari against teammate Charles Leclerc. The journalist has said that the Briton is disliked within the team, according to his knowledge, as team personnel are seemingly unhappy with the way he 'carries himself'.
"From what I gather, Hamilton is not very liked at Ferrari. His behavior is almost the complete opposite of what the staff and engineers expect. The way he carries himself hasn't exactly endeared him to anyone," Donadoni told AutoRacer .
"Hamilton is very skilled at playing politics. For years, he's had the backing of the press-especially the British media-which has helped him push specific narratives," he added.
Lewis Hamilton finished second, while Charles Leclerc finished fourth at the Mexican GP. (Source: MEGA)
Hamilton and Leclerc were involved in a tangle on Lap 1 of the Mexican GP, as the pair nearly collided at Turn 4 when both went off the track. Leclerc cut the corner and kept the lead of the race while Max Verstappen overtook Hamilton.
Eventually, Leclerc got a five-second penalty and Verstappen went on to win the race, as the Ferrari pair threw away a potential race win for the team.
Following this, Hamilton was livid with his teammate over the team radio, as well as in the media afterward.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been teammates at Ferrari since 2025. (Source: MEGA)
Donadoni has also claimed that Hamilton is trying to gain 'political leverage' with the Ferrari setup by using media as a tool to sway public opinion in his favor. He has also reported that Hamilton is now in company chairman John Elkann's ear as well, as he is trying to take control within the setup.
On top of this, Donadoni has claimed:
"He's a master of politics. He played the political game against [Fernando] Alonso and, in that regard, completely dismantled him that season."
The Italian journalist has also claimed that Leclerc has been left 'furious' following what transpired at the Mexican GP, with the relationship between the two drivers now turning sour.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc sit third and fifth in the 2026 F1 drivers' standings respectively. (Source: MEGA)
Hamilton and Leclerc went back and forth, throwing punches at each other following the Mexican GP Lap 1 incident. Hamilton questioned Leclerc's mentality, while the Monegasque stated that he could be unhappy with his teammate too.
"Ultimately, it was that [Leclerc's aggression on Lap 1] that lost us the win today, and, yeah, I think we have to have some serious talks behind the scenes, for sure," said Hamilton after the race.
"The guy is 28 years old, so I don't think it's an age thing. I think it's a mentality thing. It's like, 'Do or die. Either I win or none of us do,' and it shouldn't be that," he added during the press conference on Sunday.
Meanwhile, when told about Hamilton's comments and how they move on from this, Leclerc replied:
"Well, I'll speak with Lewis. I could be also unhappy with how much he pushed me off the track out of Turn 1, but I think it's racing. When you are fighting for a win, it's the way it should be."
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the Italian GP in September. (Source: MEGA)
Leclerc said both he and Hamilton made a mistake going into Turn 4, as opposed to it just being his fault. The 29-year-old admitted that he deserved his five-second penalty as well for the incident.
