'Clear that I could have done a better job' – Leclerc accepts blame in Hamilton incident at Monza

Charles Leclerc admitted ahead of this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix that "it's pretty clear that I could have done a better job" following his on-track moment with Ferrari team mate Lewis Hamilton in Monza.

The Ferrari drivers went side-by-side through the opening chicane last weekend, with Hamilton finding himself in the gravel and dropping positions.

It was an incident which put a strain on Hamilton and Leclerc's relationship in the immediate aftermath, before the former stated on Thursday's media day in Madrid that the pair have "got a good racing relationship".

Leclerc confirmed the pair had spoken in the aftermath of the incident to clear the air, with the Monegasque driver admitting he was primarily at fault.

"Having the Turn 2 incident is not something we ever want to see again," he said. "And for that, reviewing the images, it’s pretty clear that I could have done a better job just slowing down the car and not putting Lewis then in a difficult situation.

"So this is something I can learn from, for sure, but we’ve already spoken with Lewis.

"I think what was very important was to speak, first of all. It's been quite a few years now that I’m in Ferrari — and I kind of know how it feels when everything around Ferrari is kind of on fire.

"And if you don’t speak between Lewis and I, then you can get caught up with this noise that there is around the team.

"It’s not that there are no reasons for that noise, but I think the intensity of the noise is a bit too crazy. When you look at Monza, there’s been friction between other team mates and we barely talk about it.

"But when it’s about Ferrari, it takes proportions that are not normal. But we spoke with Lewis. We’ve always had a great relationship.

"I have a lot of respect for Lewis, and I told him that in Turn 2 I didn’t behave the way I should have, and the way a team mate should."

Leclerc's race in Monza came to an end on just the second lap after suffering a heavy crash at the final corner, which brought out the red flag.

Although Leclerc was medically cleared, the Ferrari driver admits that he did suffer in the immediate aftermath of the crash, but that he will be fully fit for the new challenge of the Madring this weekend.

"I will be 100% fine. I mean, it was only right after the crash that it was just a little bit strange and I felt a little bit dizzy," he said.

"But very quickly, from Monday afternoon, I felt better. I had quite a few treatments for the neck, because that’s where most of the shock went, and I’m feeling good now.

"So I’m ready for this weekend. I did quite a lot of checks, and all checks were fully fine. So no worries for this weekend."