Lewis Hamilton secured his maiden pole position with Ferrari in Mexico City but finished the race in second place, prompting him to call for urgent internal discussions about team dynamics. According to BBC Sport, the British driver blamed a first-lap collision between himself and teammate Charles Leclerc for costing Ferrari the victory, with the incident allowing Max Verstappen to claim the win.
Hamilton's frustration centred on Leclerc cutting a chicane on the opening lap to seize the lead. The manoeuvre forced Hamilton to defend his position, which in turn allowed Verstappen to overtake him for second place.
"Ultimately, that lost us the win today," Hamilton said. "We have to have some serious talks behind closed doors."During a red-flag stoppage triggered by a crash involving Valtteri Bottas' Cadillac, Hamilton transmitted over team radio:
"We've got big problems. Big, big problems."
Leclerc responded to Hamilton's criticism by defending his tactical decision.
"I will speak with Lewis. We both didn't make the corner. I don't know if Lewis' point was for me to get P3 but having the Red Bull second I felt it was worth it to keep the position and see what happened. That's what I did."He also noted that Hamilton had pushed him off track at Turn One, adding:
"I could be also unhappy with how much he pushed me off track out of Turn One, but it is racing. When you are fighting for a win it is the way it should be."
How serious is the driver tension at Ferrari?
The Mexico City incident represents the latest and most significant flashpoint in a season marked by repeated friction between the two drivers. According to The New York Times, Hamilton had taken pole by just 0.009 seconds over George Russell, with Leclerc qualifying third, 0.119 seconds adrift. The qualifying performance underscored how competitive the Ferrari pairing remains, yet their on-track battles have repeatedly undermined the team's strategic objectives.
Earlier in the season, Leclerc pushed Hamilton off track at the first corner of the Italian Grand Prix. The race before that, Leclerc ignored a team order to allow Hamilton through when the drivers were operating on different strategies. In Singapore, Hamilton believed he should have been permitted to pass when running on different tyre compounds, but Ferrari declined to issue the instruction. Hamilton has previously confirmed that Ferrari has not established written rules of engagement between drivers, despite calling for formal protocols after the Monza collision.
What was the race outcome?
The official result differed from the initial sequence of events described in Hamilton's post-race comments. According to the official F1 results page, Hamilton finished first, George Russell second, and Charles Leclerc third. This outcome meant that Kimi Antonelli, who had needed to finish ninth or better to clinch the drivers' championship, secured the title and became the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history.
What happens next?
Ferrari faces a critical period as it prepares for the final races of the season. The team must address the recurring conflicts between its two drivers to maximise its championship prospects in the remaining rounds. The next scheduled round is the São Paulo Grand Prix, taking place on 6–8 November 2026.
