F1 Mexico: Hamilton hits out at Leclerc, Ferrari on edge

The battle between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the Mexico City Grand Prix has left its mark on Ferrari. The day after the race, the seven-time world champion accused his team-mate of an all-or-nothing mentality and called for changes inside the team.

What happened on lap one

From lights-out, Leclerc attacked Hamilton and passed the slow-starting George Russell. The two Ferraris then fought for the lead and went off track at turns 4 and 5. Leclerc cut across the grass and took the lead; Hamilton lost second place to Max Verstappen and told his team over the radio that he had been put out by his own team-mate.

Leclerc was handed a five-second penalty. A red flag, triggered by Valtteri Bottas's big crash at turn 1, then reshuffled things: Leclerc took his penalty in the pits, which made Verstappen the net leader. Leclerc then flat-spotted a tyre on the restart and finished fourth. Verstappen won ahead of Hamilton, with Kimi Antonelli third, securing the world title.

Hamilton's criticism

Hamilton says Ferrari would have lost more wins this season had he taken the same "kamikaze" approach as Leclerc. He recalls that Leclerc had fought hard with Carlos Sainz before, and says the cost is limited when it happens for fourth and fifth place, but that a win is at stake when it is for first and second. Leclerc is 28 years old, so for Hamilton it is not about age but about mentality.

He points to Silverstone, where he could have attacked Leclerc at the risk of losing everything, and where Ferrari ended up with a shared result. He believes a one-two was possible in Mexico, and that the team has no rules of engagement between its drivers.

A conversation to come

Hamilton explains that the conversation will take place internally and will not be easy, but that it has to happen. He says nothing has been done so far, while admitting he has been through tougher situations at Mercedes, where he and Nico Rosberg once collided at the start of a race. He also says team principal Frédéric Vasseur looked nervous before the race and is doing his best.

The championship picture

Ferrari has two wins in 2026 and trails Mercedes by 126 points; Mercedes has already clinched the constructors' title. What comes next is the decision the Scuderia takes to manage its two drivers over the coming races.