Montoya predicts "a lot of drama" between Hamilton and Leclerc at Monza

Ferrari teammates face a high-stakes home race

Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya expects Ferrari’s fight for victory at the Italian Grand Prix to produce “a lot of drama” between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Ferrari arrives at its home event with a revised livery paying tribute to Michael Schumacher and a realistic opportunity to challenge at the front. Mercedes championship leader Kimi Antonelli will serve a grid penalty this weekend, leaving Ferrari better placed to contest the win with recent race winner Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell.

However, Montoya believes the importance of Monza will make the battle inside Ferrari particularly intense. The pressure is not only about the result for the team; it is also about which driver can claim superiority in front of the passionate Italian crowd.

“Ferrari has done a really good job this year with the car,” Montoya said during F1 TV’s Weekend Warm-Up. “What we’re going to see is a lot of drama between the team-mates this week because whoever beats the other here, for them, it’s a big honour, especially if they have a shot of winning the race.”

Dutch Grand Prix tensions add to the storyline

Ferrari’s internal dynamic has already come under scrutiny. At the Dutch Grand Prix, the team did not issue team orders, prompting a series of frustrated radio messages from Hamilton. The seven-time champion later accepted responsibility for those complaints, saying he had not shown the best version of himself.

Montoya viewed that public response as a necessary part of managing the situation rather than a straightforward apology.

“He’s just playing the game the right way,” Montoya said of Hamilton’s statement. “He needs to come out publicly and say, ‘I was too emotional and everything.’”

Asked whether he would have apologised in similar circumstances, Montoya added: “Well, I don’t think he really did either. He did the politically correct thing to do. He’s playing the game, and they’re all playing the game.”

The former driver also pointed to the competitive stakes between the Ferrari pair. Leclerc has found speed recently, while Hamilton’s arrival at Monza in a Ferrari F40 has added another layer to the occasion. Motorsport.com has reported on Hamilton’s restored Ferrari F40 arrival, but on track the priority is clear: each driver wants to finish ahead of the other.

“At the end of the day, they want to beat each other,” Montoya said. “This race for them is a big thing.”

Hamilton is 59 points behind Antonelli and level with Russell in second place. Leclerc is fifth, 87 points behind the championship leader.