F1 insider Peter Windsor believes Lewis Hamilton will struggle to trust Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc again.

The Scuderia continue to wrestle with the issue of having two number one drivers and apparently no defined rules of engagement for how they race on track.

Frustration bubbled to the surface after the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort in late August, when Hamilton believed flawed strategy cost him a podium.

That frustration then boiled over after Monza last weekend when Leclerc and Hamilton made contact on Lap 1 of the Italian Grand Prix.

Afterwards Hamilton laid the blame squarely at Leclerc’s feet, and the Monegasque later admitted responsibility for an incident which cost Lewis several positions.

While now we appear to have peace after both said the right things at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, the underlying issue surely remains.

It’s an issue that former team manager turned journalist Windsor says he called right from the moment Hamilton put pen to paper on that $60million-per-year Maranello contract.

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Hamilton vs Leclerc drama so predictable – Windsor

Speaking to Cameron Cc on YouTube, he claimed: “Because Charles is so easy to read, it was so predictable that he was going to do that. If those two guys are near one other, side by side going into the first corner, for sure there’s going to be a drama. Anybody with a racing brain would have predicted that.

“And Lewis for sure would have known that Charles is gonna do that and edge him out, I would have thought. I just don’t know what he was thinking, was he suddenly thinking Charles was a different guy and was gonna give him loads of room?”

So how do Hamilton and Leclerc move forward after their latest drama? Windsor believes for one thing it will have been a grim moment of clarity for the seven-time world champion.

“I’m sure Lewis now will never trust Charles again, but it’s taken a long time for the penny to drop,” he claimed.

Windsor believes Ferrari were heading directly to the scene of the accident from the moment Hamilton agreed to move to Maranello, with Leclerc as his team-mate. Everything since then, none of it is in the least bit surprising.

“I’m a Charles fan, I’m a Lewis fan, I love both of them, I love watching both of them drive and I like them as people very much.

“But not in a million years would I ever put them in the same team together. Never.

“I would have kept Sainz and then replaced Charles if I wanted Lewis Hamilton that badly.

“Equally I would have kept Sainz with Charles but I would never put Charles with Lewis.”

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The 2026 F1 calendar moves on to the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend and US fans can watch all the action live with a FREE option as well.

The wild new Madring circuit hosts the race for the first time in the suburbs of Madrid, and you should expect a ton of thrills and spills.

Apple TV is the new stateside rights holder for F1 in 2026, after replacing ESPN in a five-year deal worth a staggering $750million.

ESPN typically took the Sky Sports broadcast feed for its own coverage until Apple outbid them for the new rights cycle, but viewers can now choose between the Sky Sports crew and the F1 TV feed, shown as the ‘main’ feed on Apple. There are also onboard cameras for all 22 cars, a data tracker and a track map to enjoy during the live sessions.

Here’s how you can watch the action unfold in Madrid this weekend at no expense via the streaming service’s free trial option.

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How to watch the Spanish Grand Prix for free

US F1 fans can make use of a seven-day free trial with Apple TV and watch Spanish Grand Prix weekend for no extra cost. To sign up to Apple TV, click here.

Please note if you click on a product link on this page, we may earn a small affiliate commission.

What time does the F1 Spanish Grand Prix start?

The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix starts at 3pm local time on Sunday September 13 (9am Eastern, 8am Central, 6am Pacific).

How much does F1 cost on Apple TV?

The cost is $12.99 per month with that seven-day free trial available for new subscribers.

Where can I watch Apple TV?

The 2026 season is available on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro and Mac. It can also be viewed via popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, and others; Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices; Chromecast with Google TV; PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles; and at tv.apple.com.

F1 presenters on Apple TV

On the ‘main’ F1 TV feed, presenter Laura Winter will be live from the paddock with former IndyCar star James Hinchcliffe, Lawrence Barretto, and Chris Medland. They’ll be joined by former W Series race winner Alice Powell and presenter Ariana Bravo, all returning from 2025.

Alex Jacques takes the lead on race commentary with former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, with Ruth Buscombe, David Coulthard, Davide Valsecchi, Alex Brundle and Sam Collins all contributing.

There are a couple of new additions as well for 2026 – namely Juan Pablo Montoya (one of the very few drivers to win races in F1, IndyCar and NASCAR) and presenter Betty Glover.

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2026 has been a troubled F1 season so far for Charles Leclerc and Ferrari insider Rob Smedley believes Lewis Hamilton is a big reason why.

The 28-year-old Leclerc has really struggled to live up to expectations after signing a new multi-year deal with the Scuderia, and trails team-mate Hamilton by 36 points as he sits fifth in the current Driver’s standings.

The Monegasque is brilliantly fast – of that there is no question – but an error-strewn campaign this year has left him playing second fiddle to Hamilton at Maranello. At least in terms of race results.

His latest miserable moment came at Monza last Sunday when he crashed heavily at the Parabolica on Lap 2, ending his afternoon with a massive impact.

That devastating moment came just after Charles and Lewis had made contact on Lap 1, an incident for which Leclerc has accepted full responsibility.

Leclerc says he is okay from a physical perspective after that terrifying crash, but former Ferrari race engineer Smedley believes he is struggling with the mental pressure of being Hamilton’s team-mate.

Why Leclerc is struggling in 2026 – Smedley analysis

While Hamilton has delivered on a regular basis in 2026, Leclerc by contrast has been inconsistent and prone to errors, a point Smedley was keen to emphasise.

Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast, he explained: “You can’t discount what they did at the start of the season – they came out the box, they had a good car, and Lewis was delivering and is still delivering.

“Charles is up and down, but I’m fairly convinced that is the psychological pressure of having somebody as good as Lewis next to him, or a resurgent Lewis next to him.”

That big moment in Monza was not Leclerc’s first high-profile crash this season – first he clipped the wall in Miami, then crashed twice in Monaco and also in qualifying in Barcelona. This should not be the form of a man who has been in the sport for almost a decade.

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Leclerc crashes not the form of an F1 veteran

“He’s not having a great season by Charles Leclerc’s standards,” continued Smedley.

“He’s a good driver. How many seasons has Charles been in F1 now? 10? You make a decision on a rookie that is very fast and crashes a lot. Not on a guy who has been in F1 five or 10 years.”

Smedley’s colleague – former F1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer – emphasised how Hamilton’s mind games can impact a team-mate. Sometimes very directly.

Hamilton is ‘really good’ at mind games

“Lewis is really good at the psychological games,” he claimed.

“[Nico] Rosberg used to like to kick the soccer ball around before the start of the race – everyone does different things. Probably relaxed him, got his reactions sharp.

“And guess what Lewis used to do, used to hide the ball.”

Leclerc is expected to be back in the Ferrari this weekend for the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit, though he will be monitored for any lingering impact from that Monza crash.

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