Lewis Hamilton has criticised Ferrari team mate Charles Leclerc after their opening lap battle at the Mexico City Grand Prix, arguing that the pair’s aggressive fight cost the team a likely victory and questioning whether Leclerc put Ferrari’s interests first.
Hamilton started the race from pole position after producing his first Grand Prix pole for Ferrari, but his hopes of converting that advantage into victory were immediately complicated by a tense battle with Leclerc through the opening corners.
The two Ferraris went side by side into the opening sequence before Leclerc attacked again at Turn Four.
Both cars left the circuit during the incident, but Leclerc cut across the grass and rejoined ahead of Hamilton.
That allowed Max Verstappen to take advantage of the situation and move between the Ferraris, completely changing the shape of the race within the opening lap.
Leclerc was later handed a five second penalty for gaining an advantage off the track.
However, the damage to Ferrari’s race had already been done.
Verstappen eventually went on to win, Hamilton finished second and Leclerc was classified fourth after his penalty was applied.
Hamilton was visibly frustrated afterwards.
He argued that Ferrari had the performance to finish first and second and suggested the opening lap battle effectively handed victory to Red Bull.
The seven time world champion stressed that fighting a team mate is acceptable only when it does not compromise the overall result for the team.
Hamilton said Ferrari lost not only a potential win but also valuable championship points because of the way the opening lap unfolded.
His strongest comments came when he was asked whether Leclerc’s approach could be explained by age or experience.
Hamilton rejected that suggestion and said he viewed it as more of a question of mentality.
He also made clear that the issue would need to be discussed internally before the next race.
Those comments underline how seriously Hamilton viewed the incident.
Ferrari had arrived in Mexico with one of its strongest opportunities of the season.
Hamilton claimed pole, Leclerc started third and the team appeared to have genuine race winning pace.
Instead, the two drivers spent the opening corners racing each other aggressively while Verstappen was perfectly positioned to benefit.
Hamilton believes that is exactly the kind of situation Ferrari must avoid if it wants to challenge consistently for major championships.
Formula 1 team-mate battles are always delicate.
Drivers are expected to race hard, but they are also responsible for protecting the interests of the constructor they represent.
That balance becomes even more important when both cars are fighting at the front.
Hamilton’s argument is that Ferrari had an opportunity to control the race from the beginning.
With both cars positioned near the front, avoiding unnecessary contact and maintaining track position could have allowed the team to dictate strategy.
Instead, Leclerc’s attack created an opening for Verstappen.
The Red Bull driver needed no second invitation.
Once he moved into contention, Verstappen was able to use Red Bull’s pace and strategy to take control and eventually secure another victory.
Hamilton finished less than a second behind him after a late Safety Car compressed the field, making Ferrari’s missed opportunity feel even more significant.
Leclerc offered a different perspective after the race.
He acknowledged that he had left the track and said his initial thought had been that he might need to hand the position back.
However, he suggested communication from the team was not completely clear and said that made it difficult to understand what action Ferrari expected him to take.
That explanation did little to reduce Hamilton’s frustration.
The Briton believes Ferrari needs clearer rules governing how its drivers race each other, particularly when both are in a position to deliver a major result.
He argued that the responsibility extends beyond the two drivers.
Hundreds of employees at Maranello work towards each race weekend, and Hamilton said their efforts must be considered when decisions are made on track.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also admitted the situation was frustrating.
He stressed that both drivers ultimately compete for the same organisation and confirmed that discussions would take place internally following the race.
Vasseur’s response suggests Ferrari intends to review not only the incident itself but also how similar situations should be handled in future.
That could become important during the remaining rounds of the season.
Ferrari remain involved in a tight battle near the top of the Constructors’ Championship, and every point matters.
Mercedes continue to lead the standings, while Red Bull’s recent improvement has created another threat.
Ferrari cannot afford to lose points through avoidable internal battles if it wants to maximise its final championship position.
Hamilton also has his own championship interests to consider.
Verstappen’s Mexico victory moved the Dutchman ahead of Hamilton into second place in the Drivers’ Championship, meaning the opening lap incident had consequences beyond the race result itself.
Hamilton referenced that after the race.
He said losing second place in the standings was particularly disappointing because Ferrari had been in such a strong position before the lights went out.
The 41 year old had produced one of his best qualifying laps of the season to take pole and entered Sunday believing victory was realistic.
His first Ferrari pole was also a significant personal milestone.
Hamilton became the oldest Formula 1 pole sitter in more than four decades and extended his record career tally to 105 poles.
That made the outcome even harder to accept.
Hamilton had spoken before the race about the emotional significance of finally taking pole for Ferrari and described it as fulfilling a childhood dream inspired by watching Michael Schumacher.
Less than 24 hours later, he was instead discussing how Ferrari had allowed a winning opportunity to escape.
The situation also adds another layer to the developing partnership between Hamilton and Leclerc.
The pair have generally maintained a respectful working relationship since Hamilton joined Ferrari, but both are highly competitive drivers with their own ambitions.
As Ferrari becomes more competitive, the likelihood of direct battles between them will naturally increase.
Managing those situations will therefore become one of Vasseur’s most important responsibilities.
The challenge is familiar to Formula 1 teams.
History is filled with examples of successful partnerships becoming difficult when both drivers are capable of winning races and championships.
Ferrari will want to avoid allowing competition between Hamilton and Leclerc to damage the team’s wider objectives.
Hamilton’s public criticism suggests he believes stronger boundaries may now be necessary.
He did not call for Leclerc to stop racing him.
Instead, his argument centred on when and how that racing should happen.
For Hamilton, the crucial issue is whether a move risks sacrificing points for the team.
In Mexico, he clearly believes that line was crossed.
The next opportunity to respond comes quickly.
Formula 1 moves directly to Brazil for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, leaving Ferrari with little time to dwell on what happened in Mexico.
The team will need both drivers focused and aligned if it wants to challenge Mercedes and Red Bull at Interlagos.
Whether Ferrari introduces clearer internal racing guidelines remains to be seen.
But Hamilton has already made his position clear.
He believes the team should come first, even when two drivers are fighting for the same piece of track.
Mexico City should have been remembered as the weekend Hamilton converted his first Ferrari pole into a landmark victory. Instead, Verstappen took the win and Ferrari were left examining an opening lap battle between their own drivers. For Hamilton, the lesson is simple – team mate racing cannot come at the expense of the team itself.
