Motorsport · Mexico City
Verstappen wins Mexico City GP after Hamilton and Leclerc clash at Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton said Ferrari need 'serious talks' after a first-lap clash with Charles Leclerc cost the team the win. A structural failure on Valtteri Bottas' Cadillac then brought a red flag, and Hamilton vented anger over the radio and at the pit lane.
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In brief
Leclerc attacked Hamilton on the outside into turn 4 on the opening lap, the cars touched, and Stewards gave Leclerc a 5-second time penalty after several laps.
A structural failure and tyre burst sent Valtteri Bottas' Cadillac into the barriers, bringing a red flag with 25 laps remaining.
Hamilton said 'We've got big problems. Big, big problems.' over team radio and threw his scooter to the ground after leaving the car.
Verstappen won, Hamilton was second, Antonelli third and Leclerc fourth, while Leclerc and Frederic Vasseur had not yet spoken to the media.
- Lap 1Leclerc attacks Hamilton on the outside into turn 4 and the cars make contact
- After several lapsStewards give Leclerc a 5-second time penalty
- 25 laps from the finishBottas crashes his Cadillac and the race is red-flagged
- RestartHamilton passes Leclerc after the restart
Contact at the first corner
Lewis Hamilton started from pole position at the Mexico City Grand Prix, but his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc quickly became the problem. On the opening lap Leclerc tried to pass on the outside into turn 4, and the two cars touched. Leclerc had to cut the corner to rejoin the track, which put him ahead of Hamilton, who dropped behind Max Verstappen. Stewards investigated and, after several laps, gave Leclerc a 5-second time penalty. Hamilton had expected a heavier sanction and said so loudly on team radio, arguing that Leclerc should have handed the place back.
Red flag and radio anger
A structural failure on Valtteri Bottas' Cadillac caused a tyre to burst, and his car hit the barriers. The race was red-flagged with 25 laps remaining, and during the stoppage Hamilton radioed his concerns to the team. He said:
“We've got big problems. Big, big problems.”
As he climbed out of his car, Hamilton threw his scooter to the ground, a gesture of anger that was caught on camera. Hamilton returned to the garage upset and reportedly did not speak to his team-mate there during the interruption. The stoppage gave both Ferrari drivers time to cool down, but the tension between them had not eased by the restart.
Ferrari's wider rift
The clash in Mexico is the latest in a run of disputes between the two drivers this season. The BBC reports that Leclerc pushed Hamilton off track at the first corner of the Italian Grand Prix. At an earlier race, Leclerc ignored a team order to let Hamilton through when the two were on different strategies. At the Singapore Grand Prix, Hamilton believed he should have been let past when they ran different tyres, but Ferrari did not make that call. Hamilton reflected on the Mexico incident after the race:
“Ultimately, that lost us the win today. We have to have some serious talks behind closed doors.”
Result and aftermath
After the restart Hamilton passed Leclerc, who finished fourth. Max Verstappen won the race, Hamilton finished second and Kimi Antonelli took third. The BBC describes Antonelli as the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history. Leclerc and team principal Frederic Vasseur had not spoken to the media after the race.
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Sources and context
- BBCLewis Hamilton says Ferrari need to have 'serious talks' after Charles Leclerc
- Focus“We have big problems”, threatens Hamilton to his team"Wir haben große Probleme", droht Hamilton seinem Team · original in German
- FanpageLewis Hamilton furious at the Mexico GP, first he vents on the radio and then throws away a scooterLewis Hamilton furioso al GP del Messico, prima si sfoga in radio e poi getta via un monopattino · original in Italian
- ANSA.itF1: Mexico; GP stopped due to Bottas accident, Hamilton fury in the pitsF1: Messico; stop al Gp per incidente Bottas, furia Hamilton ai box - F1 · original in Italian
- Lewis Hamilton
- Mercedes driver who started from pole for Ferrari at the Mexico City Grand Prix and finished second
- Charles Leclerc
- Ferrari driver who was penalised 5 seconds after contact with Hamilton and finished fourth
- Max Verstappen
- Driver who won the Mexico City Grand Prix
- Kimi Antonelli
- Driver who finished third in Mexico City and whom the BBC describes as the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history
- Valtteri Bottas
- Cadillac driver whose crash caused the red flag
- Frederic Vasseur
- Ferrari team principal who had not yet spoken to the media after the race
- Places
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Organizations
- Ferrari
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