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Lewis Hamilton stated that Ferrari must hold serious private discussions following an on-track battle between team-mates that cost them victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The incident allowed Max Verstappen to claim the race win, while Kimi Antonelli finished third to secure the Formula 1 world championship.
First-Lap Incident and Race Outcome
The trouble began on the opening lap when Charles Leclerc cut a chicane to overtake Hamilton for the lead. Hamilton subsequently lost second place to Verstappen as a direct result of his team-mate’s maneuver. During a red-flag period triggered by Valtteri Bottas’ crash, Hamilton radioed his team to report major problems.
Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Hamilton told BBC Sport that the opening-lap confrontation ultimately cost them the win. He explained that by holding their positions at the start, Ferrari could have maintained a one-two formation, controlled the race pace, and likely secured the top two finishing spots. Hamilton noted that the team currently lacks rules of engagement and emphasized that something needs to change.
Leclerc and Team Management Responses
Leclerc defended his actions by explaining that both drivers missed the corner and that he felt keeping the position against a Red Bull was worth the risk. He also mentioned he could have been unhappy with how aggressively Hamilton pushed him off track out of Turn One, but maintained that such hard racing is normal when fighting for a victory.
Under race rules, Leclerc should have returned the position to Hamilton for overtaking off the track. Instead, he chose to press on to build a gap that might offset a five-second penalty issued by officials. However, he could not build a sufficient margin, and when he pitted for new tyres, Verstappen followed and successfully reclaimed the position.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur expressed deep frustration over how the situation unfolded, noting the impact it had on the 2,000 staff working on the project. Vasseur stated that he would discuss the matter internally, resolve it, and refocus for the next events. Hamilton remarked that Vasseur was nervous before the race and doing his best, but stressed that drivers carry a responsibility to the entire team.
Growing Season Tensions
This incident represents the most serious escalation in a series of tensions between Hamilton and Leclerc throughout the current season. Previous friction points include Leclerc pushing Hamilton wide at the Italian Grand Prix, Leclerc ignoring a team order to let Hamilton pass in the preceding race, and a disagreement over team strategy in Singapore. Max Verstappen acknowledged that Ferrari’s internal fighting made things difficult for themselves and allowed him to capitalize on the victory.
