Lewis Hamilton snaps back at F1 media: 'I know what you're trying to do'

Lewis Hamilton has pushed back at a question from media after the Italian Grand Prix and Ferrari's poor showing. 

On the opening lap at Monza, Hamilton attempted to move up the inside of team-mate Charles Leclerc, which placed him on the outside for Turn 2, where Leclerc placed him on the gravel, losing positions.

Leclerc ultimately crashed out and hit back at "narratives" being pushed about the intra-Ferrari battle, whilst Hamilton was strong at his feeling that there were "no rules" in the fight and called for Nico Rosberg-Mercedes 2016-style rules of engagement. 

Hamilton finished sixth to put a severe dent in his slim title ambitions, and is now 76 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli - over three grands prix worth of points, with the Italian also having won seven races to Hamilton's one. 

Hamilton has been vocal about trying to mould Ferrari into a title-winning machine, but firmly rejected the premise of one question when carrying out his post-race media duties. 

When asked by media, including RacingNews365 if there was a cultural issue within Ferrari hindering progress, Hamilton, who addressed the media for a lengthy eight minutes in the driver audio pen, snapped back. 

"I know what you guys are trying to do," he said.

"I don't want to get into arguing and fighting about my team. At the end of the day, I'm trying my hardest to make this team and help this team get to where it needs to be. 

"We didn't do so well [in the Italian GP] and it's painful enough as it is to be badgering my guys. They go home to their families, and they're working really, really hard. 

"Yes, we didn't get it right. It isn't good enough. But we'll go back to the drawing board, and we'll come back. We'll show up with good energy in the next race."

When asked what must change operationally from the team, Hamilton hinted at communications and procedures.

"Ultimately it comes from the top. It trickles down decisions - and so, it starts with Fred," he said.

"There's only so much you can say, so much you can push and shout from the mountaintop. Yesterday [Saturday] I said we've got to look at just how we communicate because if we continue to travel the same path, we get the same result.

"It's like, we keep getting the same result. We've got to change things because this is not helping us move forward. 

"I think they're receptive to it and we'll take it offline over the next...probably not for next week, but particularly after next race to try and look how we can procedurally do things different so the same thing can't keep happening."