News Summary
- Charles Leclerc admitted his five-second penalty at the 2026 Mexican Grand Prix was deserved after overtaking Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton outside the track limits.
- The Monegasque insisted both drivers made mistakes at Turn 4, disputing the suggestion that he was solely responsible for Ferrari losing its opportunity to win.
- Leclerc explained that Max Verstappen’s presence between the Ferrari drivers influenced his decision not to return the position, with internal discussions now expected.
Charles Leclerc has acknowledged that the five-second penalty he received for overtaking Lewis Hamilton outside the track limits during the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix was justified, but insisted that both Ferrari drivers made mistakes during their controversial opening-lap battle. The Monegasque also explained why he chose not to return the position immediately, arguing that Max Verstappen’s move into second place complicated the situation.
“The penalty was deserved in a way,” Leclerc said after Sunday’s (November 1) race.
Leclerc admits penalty was deserved after Turn 4 incident
The Ferrari drivers fought for the lead through the opening sequence of corners at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Hamilton had started from pole position, while Leclerc moved into contention after qualifying third.
Their battle intensified at Turn 4, where both cars ran wide and Leclerc crossed the grass before rejoining ahead of his teammate.
The stewards subsequently determined that Leclerc had gained a lasting advantage by leaving the circuit, imposing a five-second penalty.
Leclerc accepted that the punishment was justified but argued that the circumstances were not straightforward.
“The thing is that it was a bit confusing because we both didn’t make Turn 4,” he explained.
“Then I stayed ahead, and then Max got past Lewis. So yeah, then I asked what should I do? And I kept the position and took a deserved penalty.”
The FIA’s decision supported part of Leclerc’s explanation.
Although the standard penalty guideline for leaving the track and gaining an advantage was ten seconds, the stewards reduced the sanction to five because Hamilton had also left the circuit during the incident.
Verstappen’s position influenced Leclerc’s decision
Leclerc revealed that he considered the possibility of returning the position but was uncertain how to proceed after Verstappen moved ahead of Hamilton.
The Red Bull driver had become involved in the battle between the Ferraris, leaving Leclerc ahead of Verstappen and Hamilton.
Returning the position directly to Hamilton would therefore have involved the position of another driver, complicating the immediate response.
“I don’t know if Lewis’ point was for me to get P3,” Leclerc said.
“But at least having a Red Bull in second, I felt it was worth it to kind of keep the position and see what happens. That’s what I did.”
The decision allowed Leclerc to remain ahead temporarily, although he ultimately served the five-second penalty.
Hamilton was furious with the outcome, arguing that his teammate had gained an advantage that a time penalty might not fully reverse.
The seven-time champion subsequently claimed the incident cost Ferrari victory.
Leclerc argues Hamilton also pushed him wide
Despite accepting the penalty, Leclerc maintained that Hamilton’s actions had contributed to the incident.
The Monegasque argued that aggressive racing was inevitable when two drivers were fighting for victory and suggested that he could also have complained about his teammate’s driving.
“I mean, I could also be unhappy with how much he pushed me off the track out of Turn 1,” Leclerc said.
“But I think it’s racing. When you are fighting for a win, it’s the way it should be.”
His comments contrast with Hamilton’s subsequent criticism of his mentality.
Hamilton accused Leclerc of adopting a ‘do or die’ approach, suggesting that Ferrari had repeatedly lost opportunities because of internal battles.
Leclerc did not directly respond to those later remarks in the statements reproduced by Formula 1.
Ferrari faces difficult discussions before Brazilian GP
The controversy has created another challenge for Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur.
The Frenchman described the lost opportunity as a lack of respect for the team, its sponsors and approximately 2,000 employees.
However, Vasseur declined to single out Leclerc, acknowledging that Hamilton had also gone wide during the incident.
The Mexican Grand Prix eventually ended with Max Verstappen taking victory, Hamilton finishing second and Leclerc fourth.
The result was particularly frustrating for Ferrari after Hamilton secured his first pole position for the Italian team on Saturday.
Leclerc indicated that he would discuss the incident with Hamilton and Ferrari internally before the next race.
The team now heads to the São Paulo Grand Prix on November 6–8, where it will attempt to convert its improved performance into a victory.
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