“They (Mercedes) score their points with a bigger basket and you have to score yours with a smaller one. So you always lose.”
He added: “I just imagine young children watching this sport and seeing one car pass two others in the straight line. We shouldn’t let them lose hope that they can be champions.”
But Leclerc fought Hamilton’s corner, insisting the seven-time world champion deserves full credit for getting the most out of his Mercedes.
“I don’t agree,” Leclerc said.