FRED VASSEUR CRITICISES LEWIS HAMILTON AND CHARLES LECLERC AFTER MEXICO CLASH

Ferrari teammates Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc clashed on the first lap of the Mexico City Grand Prix. Hamilton started on pole, with Leclerc third behind Mercedes driver George Russell. Russell dropped back, and Hamilton held first at Turn 1 while Leclerc challenged him through three turns. In Hamilton's slipstream at the Turn 4 chicane, Leclerc braked late outside and cut across the grass into the lead. Hamilton also slid off, rejoined sooner, and dropped to third when Max Verstappen overtook him.

Hamilton told his team on the radio, "Got pushed out by my own teammate." Verstappen and Hamilton both said over the radio that Leclerc must return the lead. Leclerc stayed ahead, and stewards gave him a five-second penalty instead of the 10-second standard because Hamilton also went off. Hamilton then ran behind both rivals on slower old soft tyres while needing clean air for car cooling. Hamilton said on the radio, "Problem with the five second penalty is he’s got clean air."

Afterwards, Hamilton claimed the clash "lost them the race" and prevented a one-two finish given overtaking difficulties. Hamilton added that they needed "some serious talks behind closed doors." Leclerc countered that Hamilton pushed him off exiting Turn 1 and called it normal racing for a win. Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur criticised both drivers in an interview with Canal+. Vasseur said, "I'm struggling to swallow it because, honestly, I think it's a lack of respect, a lack of respect for the brand, a lack of respect for all the people working here, and for the efforts we're putting in."