News Summary

Lewis Hamilton expressed his frustration with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc after a controversial opening lap of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday (November 1). The seven-time world champion, who started from pole position, accused Leclerc of forcing him off the circuit during their battle for the lead, while Max Verstappen also demanded that the Monegasque return a position after cutting the corner at Turn 4.

“Got pushed out by my own teammate,” Hamilton complained over the Ferrari team radio as the opening-lap battle unfolded at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Leclerc cuts corner as Ferrari teammates fight for lead

Hamilton maintained the lead at the start, but Leclerc immediately challenged his teammate through the opening corners.

The Monegasque attempted to move ahead at Turn 2 but was unable to complete the manoeuvre.

The two Ferrari drivers continued fighting through the following sequence, with Leclerc attempting another move around the outside at Turn 4.

Leclerc ran beyond the track limits and cut across the corner, returning to the circuit as the leading positions changed.

Hamilton lost ground during the exchange, while Verstappen moved into contention at the front.

The Red Bull driver also complained over the radio, arguing that Leclerc should be required to give back the position gained by leaving the track.

Verstappen’s interpretation would have placed him in the lead if the Ferrari driver had been ordered to surrender the position.

FIA hands Leclerc five-second penalty after opening-lap clash with Hamilton

The FIA eventually imposed a five-second time penalty on Charles Leclerc following his controversial opening-lap battle with Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix.

The Monegasque had attempted to overtake Hamilton around the outside at Turn 4 but ran beyond the track limits, cutting the corner before rejoining the circuit. Hamilton immediately complained over the radio, accusing his teammate of forcing him off the track.

“Got pushed out by my own teammate,” the seven-time world champion said.

Max Verstappen also questioned Leclerc’s manoeuvre, arguing that the Ferrari driver should return the position gained by leaving the circuit.

Race Control initially noted the incident before launching an investigation. After reviewing the manoeuvre, the stewards handed Leclerc a five-second penalty, which must be served during a pit stop or added to his race time if not served during the Grand Prix.

The decision adds another complication to Ferrari’s race after Hamilton started from pole position, with Leclerc third on the grid.

Hamilton accuses stewards of handing Leclerc victory after five-second penalty

Lewis Hamilton renewed his criticism of the FIA stewards during the Mexican Grand Prix, arguing that the five-second penalty imposed on Charles Leclerc was insufficient to compensate for the advantage gained by his Ferrari teammate on the opening lap.

“The stewards are basically handing Charles this win,” Hamilton complained over the radio.

“We agreed, in the drivers’ briefing,” he added, referring to discussions held before the race about how incidents involving drivers leaving the circuit should be handled.

Leclerc had cut across Turn 4 while battling Hamilton and Max Verstappen on the opening lap. Although the stewards subsequently imposed a five-second time penalty, they did not require the Monegasque to surrender his track position immediately.

The decision became increasingly significant as the race progressed. By lap 25, Leclerc had opened a gap of approximately five seconds over Verstappen, potentially allowing him to absorb the penalty without losing second place to the Red Bull driver.

Verstappen, meanwhile, held an advantage of just over two seconds over Hamilton, who remained frustrated by the consequences of the opening-lap incident.

Hamilton’s complaint centred on the difference between serving a time penalty and returning a position gained by leaving the track. The Ferrari driver argued that Leclerc had retained an advantage that could ultimately prove decisive in the fight for victory.

FIA explains why Leclerc received five seconds instead of ten

The FIA has explained why Charles Leclerc received a five-second time penalty rather than the standard ten seconds for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during his opening-lap battle with Lewis Hamilton at the Mexican Grand Prix.

According to the stewards’ official decision, document 69, both Ferrari drivers approached Turn 4 at excessive speed, meaning neither would have been able to negotiate the corner while remaining within the track limits.

The stewards determined that Leclerc was not entitled to claim the corner, having entered too quickly before completing an overtake while off the circuit.

However, Hamilton also left the track while defending on the inside, a circumstance the stewards considered when determining the severity of the punishment.

The standard penalty guideline for the infringement is ten seconds, but the FIA reduced it to five because Hamilton had also gone off track and the incident occurred early on the opening lap.

The decision provides additional context to Hamilton’s subsequent radio complaint.

“The stewards are basically handing Charles this win,” Hamilton said, arguing that the penalty allowed his teammate to retain a potentially decisive track position.

By lap 25, Leclerc had established an advantage of approximately five seconds over Max Verstappen, potentially allowing him to absorb the penalty without losing his position to the Red Bull driver.

The FIA’s ruling confirms that Leclerc gained an advantage illegally, but also establishes that Hamilton’s own failure to remain on the circuit was a mitigating factor in reducing the sanction.

GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.