Charles Leclerc has explained why his request for Lewis Hamilton to drop back and give him DRS was denied in the later stages of the Imola race.

The two drivers were next to each other late in the Italian race but Leclerc’s request for Hamilton to give him DRS was turned down.

Charles Leclerc explains Lewis Hamilton DRS confusion

Ferrari denied the request, stating Hamilton could catch Oscar Piastri in P3, and Leclerc has revealed it was as problem with his steering wheel that made him question that judgement.

“My dash was a lap or two out so I thought it was the last lap,” he said to Sky F1. “So I was like ‘no way Lewis can get Oscar.’

“But actually there were two or three laps to go. So then the team explained to me, and I, of course, understood the situation and anyway, the team asked me to let Alex [Albon] by so it wouldn’t have changed much.”

Leclerc was left furious both during and after the race, stating that he “cannot accept the situation” Ferrari are in.

“I was saying before the race, it was one of the races where you’ve got to race with the heart and you’ve got to put the elbows out a little bit,” Leclerc said. “And I know that when it’s like this, you go very much on the limit, sometimes a little bit over.

“But when you’re starting P11, I mean, as a driver, I just cannot accept the situation we are in and so I took risks. I don’t think that with Pierre [Gasly], I was particularly at fault or over the limit. I mean, it was just a racing incident.

More reaction from the race in Imola

Lewis Hamilton shows true feelings in ‘explosive’ feedback from Ferrari

Oscar Piastri highlights ‘wrong calls’ from McLaren in Max Verstappen defeat

“In the way it was with Alex, it was very much on the limit, for sure. I thought that in the way the rules are written, I was right on the limit of those rules. I’ve got to check the images again. I don’t regret anything I’ve done.

“Today was all about giving it all, and I knew from the moment that I didn’t take the pit stop on the second safety car, that it was going to be very difficult.”

Leclerc was instructed to let Albon pass by the team late on in the race having appeared to push him off the circuit.

Read next: F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates