Lewis Hamilton has called for urgent discussions within Ferrari after a controversial opening-lap battle with team-mate Charles Leclerc disrupted the team’s chances of securing victory at the Mexican Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion started Sunday’s race from pole position but found himself battling Leclerc through the opening four corners.
Leclerc eventually took the lead by cutting across the grass at Turn Four, while Hamilton lost another position to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen following the incident.
The stewards subsequently handed Leclerc a five-second time penalty for his manoeuvre, allowing Verstappen to move into the lead of the race.
Hamilton’s frustration was evident over the team radio during a red-flag interruption caused by a crash involving Valtteri Bottas’ Cadillac.
“We’ve got big problems, big, big problems,” Hamilton told Ferrari during the stoppage.
Hamilton Questions Leclerc’s Approach to Team Racing
Hamilton eventually regained second position from Leclerc following the restart but could not catch Verstappen, finishing behind the Red Bull driver.
Speaking after the race, the British driver insisted Ferrari needed to address the incident internally and have serious discussions about how its drivers compete against each other.
“We have to have some serious talks behind the scenes for sure,” Hamilton said.
He explained that drivers needed to consider the wider team when making decisions on the track, stressing that their actions affected everyone working towards the team’s success.
“I think the core thing to remember, which maybe comes with age, is that every decision you make in the car impacts all the people that work in the background for the whole team.
“Working as a team is a part of our job and a part of our contract. We could have easily done that today.
“This will just continue unless action is taken, unless a real deep, serious conversation is had. So, it shouldn’t happen moving forward.”
Hamilton admitted he was pleased to see Kimi Antonelli secure the championship but remained angry about Ferrari’s outcome in Mexico.
Seven-Time Champion Renews Call for Team Rules
The incident has renewed Hamilton’s demand for clear rules of engagement between Ferrari’s two drivers, following their previous on-track confrontation at the Italian Grand Prix.
He questioned Leclerc’s mentality during their battle and argued that the team needed to establish a different approach to prevent similar situations.
“When your team-mate works against you and then you lose positions like that, it’s definitely tough,” Hamilton said.
“We don’t have rules of engagement, and whether or not that will change anything from Charles’ side, I don’t know. Something needs to change for sure.”
Hamilton also recalled watching Leclerc and former Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz battle each other before he joined the Italian team.
He explained that such competition was particularly damaging when drivers were fighting for the leading positions rather than lower places on the grid.
“Before I joined this team, when I was at Mercedes, I watched the back and forth between Charles and Carlos (Sainz), where they were battling so much that the person ahead just pulled away.
“But it is one thing when that’s happening in fourth and fifth, as opposed to first and second, and you lose the win. That’s significant.”
The 41-year-old questioned whether Leclerc’s approach was driven by a win-at-all-costs mentality.
“The guy (Leclerc) is 28 years old, so I don’t think it’s an age thing. I think it’s a mentality thing. It’s like, ‘Do or die. Either I win or none of us do’, and it shouldn’t be that.
“It should be us getting that one-two. You know, Silverstone, I could have gone all kamikaze on him and taken him off and lost us the win.”
Leclerc Says He Considered Returning the Position
Leclerc acknowledged that Hamilton would have been unhappy with how the opening laps unfolded but said he had considered giving the position back to his team-mate.
However, Verstappen had already overtaken Hamilton by the time he considered making the move.
“I’m sure Lewis definitely hated those first few laps and we’ll discuss,” Leclerc said.
Vasseur to Hold Discussions With Both Drivers
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also expressed his disappointment with the outcome, admitting that the team had lost an opportunity to secure victory.
He indicated that he would speak separately with Hamilton and Leclerc about their post-race comments and the incident.
“I think it’s just a matter of respect,” Vasseur told Sky Sports.
“The respect for the brand, for the sponsors, for the team, for the 2,000 people working at home like hell. Honestly, it’s difficult to digest for me to give up a win like this.
“The comments of Lewis I will discuss with Lewis and the comments of Charles I will discuss with Charles.”
Verstappen Moves Ahead of Hamilton in Championship Standings
Verstappen’s victory in Mexico moved him above Hamilton into second place in the drivers’ championship standings.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli also secured a major milestone on Sunday, becoming Formula One’s youngest world champion after finishing third in the race.
