Lewis Hamilton left the Mexican Grand Prix in Formula 1 with a pointed rebuke toward Ferrari after the incident with Charles Leclerc on the opening lap. Dissatisfied with the five-second penalty handed to his teammate, the British driver said the episode cost him the victory and spoke of serious conversations behind the scenes.
The controversy unfolded as the two drivers battled wheel-to-wheel for position. Leclerc ran onto the grass during the maneuver and managed to gain ground, but received a five-second penalty. The situation also benefited Max Verstappen, who overtook Hamilton and later took the lead, going on to win the race.
The Briton had started from pole and dropped to third even as they were exiting Turn 5. After the red flag, caused by Valtteri Bottas’ Cadillac crash, the seven-time champion took advantage of the restart to close the gap, overtook Leclerc, and finished in second place. Verstappen, however, was not caught.
But the main reason for Hamilton’s anger was the difference between the penalty imposed on the Monégasque and a penalty he himself had received under similar circumstances last season. The British driver recalled that the matter had been discussed at the drivers’ briefing.
“In the drivers’ briefing, we discussed that as soon as you leave the track at Turn 1, you need to hand the position back. Last year, I received a ten-second penalty for the same maneuver that he did,” Hamilton said.
The Briton did not hide his dissatisfaction with the decision and called for an internal Ferrari assessment of the situation: “But in the end, that’s what made us lose the victory today. I think we need to have serious talks behind the scenes, for sure,” he added.
Despite the frustration, Hamilton also acknowledged Ferrari’s work in advancing the car, and noted that the team used an older power unit during the Mexican weekend. The second place yielded important points, even if it did not represent the result he had hoped for.
Hamilton also reserved part of his interview to congratulate Kimi Antonelli, who finished third and became the new Formula 1 world champion. The Briton praised the young Italian’s achievement and also praised Mercedes, his former team.
