Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc races against him harder than he does other drivers on the Formula 1 grid.

Hamilton and Leclerc's clash on the opening lap of last Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix cost Ferrari a likely victory, and potential one-two, with Max Verstappen instead ultimately profiting to claim victory for Red Bull.

Speaking after the race, Hamilton said the team needed "serious talks" to discuss the way forward to avoid a repeat in future, while also calling Leclerc's approach to such battles into question.

Some pundits have since suggested that Leclerc appears to race Hamilton particularly aggressively, comparing what happened in Mexico to the first corner at the Singapore Grand Prix last month when the Monegasque went head to head for the lead with Verstappen.

Asked on Thursday ahead of this weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix if he also saw it that way, Hamilton replied: "Yes.

"I see what you see. Singapore, he was fully [alongside Verstappen], wheel to wheel, fully on the inside for the lead at Turn 1 Singapore, and I think it was definitely different.

"But, I mean, if you look at the team-mates, it was the same with Sebastian [Vettel], it was the same with Carlos [Sainz]."

Hamilton and Leclerc have largely appeared to enjoy a friendly relationship off track during their first two years as team-mates, but there have been flash points in racing combat this season with the pair often in close company.

They included a costly incident on the first lap of the team's home race at Monza in September, when Hamilton was forced onto the gravel as the two cars went side by side at the first chicane in a clash his team-mate subsequently apologised for.

On Leclerc, Hamilton said: "He's been here a long time, is it eight years?

"He is very much embedded within the team, and I knew that it would always be a challenge.

"I've always respected that when I've approached the team. I've really worked hard to build a good relationship with Charles and bridge the gap and make sure that we're harmonious and we work hard together.

"I've always tried to be respectful, and so naturally it's not so easy having someone like me come into a team because I'm very outspoken and I push and push and push, push for so many changes, and I'm going to be pushing for more.

"And as long as I'm here, that's how it's going to be. I'm here to win, and to be able to win, you have to work with everyone around you.

"We're all rowing, trying to get everyone to row at the same pace and also the same strength. And you have to push, and I have to push, I have to be pushed also to elevate. We all can always elevate and be better.

"And I truly believe that this team can be fighting for the championship next year."

'I was frustrated and I'm still frustrated' - Hamilton eager for meeting

F1 is swiftly back in action in Sao Paulo this week to complete the season's latest triple-header.

However, with team boss Frederic Vasseur having briefly flown back to the team's headquarters in Italy, and Leclerc returning home to Monaco for the birth of his first child, after last Sunday's race in Mexico City, Hamilton said they had not yet had the chance for in-depth discussions about the way forward.

The Briton was therefore the only Ferrari driver present to speak to the media at Interlagos on Thursday, with Leclerc not arriving at the track until Friday.

Hamilton said that "naturally I was frustrated and I'm still frustrated" about what happened in Mexico and "so the conversations need to be had, so we will have those when the time permits".

On whether anything was yet in place for this weekend, Hamilton said: "There isn't a plan at the moment because we haven't had a time to sit down, all face to face because Fred's been back in Maranello, and Charles has been back in Monaco, but we will have a sit down.

"I don't think everything's going to get squashed and sorted out in one meeting, but it is important what we build now will put us in the right position for next year.

"In some ways, I'm glad we've had that experience. Of course, I'd rather we had won and had a one-two but from that you can learn, and we can only really get stronger from that.

"In the background, we've got these incredible people that are working so hard in the background.

"We've been on a bit of the back foot on power this year, but the actual car has been phenomenal all the year, great reliability, and every day I go out on track, I'm always thinking of getting the absolute maximum for them.

"I don't always achieve it, and from that you learn. But I think with the years and experience, you understand the bigger picture when you're getting to work with such a large group of people, and that's, I would say, the privilege of the years that I've spent here and the teams that I've got to work in.

"I really do believe that next year we could win. We could be fighting for the world championship. That is the sole goal.

"Right now, in the background, my focus is on continuing to hold on to the performance we've picked up in the last few races in terms of execution, and then working on next year's car. I obviously can't do anything about the engine except for to just push them, and they'll continue to push in the background. I believe they are.

"With the car, it's steering it, making sure we're steering it in the right direction, and making sure we arrive next year on the right foot.

"Then Fred's job is to make sure that we are all running in the same direction. Of course, we're going to race hard but fair, and making sure that we get the maximum and the best result for the team."

Asked how he would approach discussions with Vasseur and Leclerc, Hamilton said: "I think it's about communication. It's about understanding.

"I haven't really tried to think what the meeting will be like, how it's going to go. You never ever know.

"But what I will do is I'll make sure I'm always just authentically me, and I won't back down from taking responsibility for any part that I play and any decisions that I make for the team, and just continue to push."

'I'm not going to be silenced'

Hamilton said he would continue to push for the changes he believes will help Ferrari return to title-winning ways.

And while he denied claims some of his radio messages about the incident during the race in Mexico had been "calculated", he said he would not stop expressing his views openly and honestly.

"I don't really care how everyone feels about what I said," said Hamilton. "I wear my heart on my sleeve when I say how I feel in the moment.

"I think one thing that I would like to... I did see something that someone was saying, that it's calculated, the things that I'm saying. And I just want to combat that with the fact that when you're in the race, your heart rate is like 170, you're driving at 200 miles an hour, you don't have time to be calculating what you're saying and thinking what you're saying and what the media are going to write about.

"You don't think about that.

"Usually, your frustration comes out towards the people in the team, particularly the bosses about decisions.

"And also, the stewards have always asked us to voice if there's an issue on track. For example, if you get held up, you get blocked, they ask you to voice it.

"An example is if you look in Mexico, one of the practice sessions, Hadjar backed off on the racing lines into Turn 1, I didn't say anything about it.

"If I had spoken and said, you know, like, throw my hands up, for example, they would have investigated and he would have had a penalty, because it was impeding.

"And so it is important to make sure you're open. Of course, there's sometimes you say things and maybe you might regret it afterwards. I don't. I've never apologised for being authentic and real.

"And I'm not going to be silenced. I've not been asked to not say anything, and that's just the way it is."

Sky Sports F1's live Sao Paulo GP schedule

3pm: Sao Paulo Grand Prix Practice One (session starts at 3.30pm)*
5.30pm: Team Bosses' Press Conference
6.45pm: Sao Paulo Grand Prix Practice Two (session starts at 7pm)
8.15pm: The F1 Show

2.15pm: Sao Paulo Grand Prix Practice Three (session starts at 2.30pm)*
5pm: Sao Paulo Grand Prix Qualifying build-up
6pm: SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING
8pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook

3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Sao Paulo GP build-up
5pm: THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX*
7pm: Chequered Flag: Sao Paulo City GP reaction
8pm: Ted's Notebook

*also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 is in Brazil for the final leg of the triple header with the Sao Paulo Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW