Leclerc plays down his clash with Hamilton in Mexico

“I could be unhappy too”: Charles Leclerc played down Lewis Hamilton’s anger after their first-lap clash at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The two Ferrari drivers were fighting for the lead when they went wheel to wheel through the opening corners. Their battle sent them off track, and Leclerc received a penalty.

The Monegasque acknowledged that a penalty could be justified. “Yes, I mean, the penalty was deserved in a way,” he said after the race. He explained that both cars had missed Turn 4, before he stayed ahead and Max passed Hamilton. Leclerc said he had asked his team what he should do, then kept his position: “I took a deserved penalty.”

He also defended his decision not to give up the place immediately. In his view, the presence of a Red Bull behind him made the situation difficult. “I don’t know if Lewis wanted me to get P3, but with a Red Bull second, I felt it was worth keeping the position and seeing what happened,” he said.

Leclerc did not portray the incident as one-sided. He recalled that Hamilton had also pushed him off track at Turn 1, adding: “I could also be unhappy with how much he pushed me off the track out of Turn 1, but I think it’s racing. When you’re fighting for a win, that’s how it should be.” He said he would speak with Hamilton.

Hamilton, meanwhile, said the incident had cost Ferrari the win and called for an internal discussion. “I think we have to have some serious talks behind the scenes, for sure,” he said. He also said the team had lost valuable points and could have secured a one-two. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur stressed the importance of respect and said it would be central to his discussions with the drivers ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix.

Leclerc also praised Ferrari’s pace in the first stint, while saying the team struggled more at the second start from the dirty side of the track. Hamilton acknowledged the car’s improvement and the team’s hard work, but regretted that they had not won. The incident has revived questions about how Ferrari manages battles between its drivers, with Leclerc and Hamilton still to discuss their clash.