Hamilton vs Leclerc: the win that slipped away in Mexico raises tension at Ferrari

Four corners to lose it all

At the start, the plan looked simple: Hamilton on pole, Leclerc third, and a genuine chance of a one-two. Instead, the two Ferraris went at each other from the opening corners, without touching, until both drivers ran wide at turn 4. Leclerc kept the lead by going off the track, which earned him a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage. He served it at his pit stop, and Max Verstappen took the lead.

At the flag, the Dutchman won, Hamilton finished second less than a second behind, and Leclerc was fourth. On the same day, Kimi Antonelli was crowned world champion with Mercedes. Ferrari's evening in Mexico went almost unnoticed, at least until the drivers started talking.

Hamilton targets his team-mate's mindset

According to Nextgen-Auto, Hamilton was already fuming on the radio, mainly about the penalty handed to his team-mate. In front of the media he did not hold back: he described Leclerc's mindset as all-or-nothing and said the two cars could easily have finished first and second.

The seven-time world champion even drew a parallel with Leclerc's old battles with Carlos Sainz, when the two Ferraris fought so hard that the leading car got away. He wants a serious internal discussion and pointed out that no rules of engagement had been set before the race, even though he had already raised the issue after Monza. The cost is real for him: points lost for the team, and second place in the drivers' standings slipping away.

Leclerc takes his share, not all of it

Leclerc does not deny the mistake, but he shares it. Both of them made an error, he says, explaining that the two drivers made the same mistake at turn 4 and that there was no contact. He believes Hamilton mostly disliked how that sequence was handled, penalty included, and considers the fight predictable given what was at stake.

The Monegasque also said he asked the team over the radio whether he should give the place back. He kept it in the end, as Verstappen had passed Hamilton in the meantime and the situation was confused. He insists on his right to fight for the win, even against his team-mate, and confirmed that a talk with Hamilton and the team will take place.

Rosberg piles pressure on Vasseur

Fred Vasseur, also furious after the race, plans to speak with both drivers, Nextgen-Auto reports. Nico Rosberg, who lived through a tense rivalry with Hamilton at Mercedes himself, is far more blunt. For the former champion, the fault always lies with Leclerc, at Monza as in Mexico, and the Ferrari boss must set clear rules without delay.

Rosberg believes that through turns 2 and 3, Leclerc bounced over the kerb towards Hamilton without holding his line, and that Charles was already overdoing it. His main fear is the moment drivers start settling scores themselves on track, a risk he says is already there.

The title was decided elsewhere, but Ferrari still has second place in the constructors' standings to defend. The next round at Interlagos will show whether the promised talk has fixed anything, or whether Ferrari has simply pushed the problem into 2027.