Lewis Hamilton sharply criticized Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc after their battle during the Mexican Grand Prix appeared to cost the team victory. Hamilton, who started from pole position, finished second behind Max Verstappen, while Leclerc came fourth after a late mistake.
Leclerc moved into second at the start, while Verstappen gained two places to run third. On the fourth corner, Leclerc attacked Hamilton for the lead. Hamilton braked heavily, ran wide and was passed by Verstappen. Leclerc also left the track while making the move and returned in first place, earning a five-second penalty.
Hamilton said Ferrari had been in a position to achieve an easy one-two finish but lost important points. He also complained repeatedly about Leclerc over the team radio, arguing that his teammate had worked against him during the incident.
The seven-time world champion, who joined Ferrari in 2025, said the dispute was not related to Leclerc’s age but to his mentality. Hamilton said the pair needed to have a private discussion and acknowledged that Ferrari lacked clear agreements governing their cooperation. He added that something had to change.
Leclerc offered a different interpretation. He said Hamilton had forced him off the track at the first corner and argued that both drivers had reached the limit. In his view, both had made a mistake at the fourth corner, but such incidents were part of racing when drivers were fighting for the win.
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur focused on the missed victory. He said the team had managed to throw away a race it had been in position to win and described the result as frustrating for the 2,000 people working on the project. Vasseur also accused both drivers of showing insufficient respect for the team and said he would speak with them.
Sources: Der Spiegel.