Lewis Hamilton has openly criticised his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc following their collision at the 2026 Mexico Grand Prix, an incident that cost the Italian outfit a likely 1-2 finish. The clash highlighted ongoing tensions between the two drivers and raised questions about Ferrari’s intra-team dynamics.
Starting from pole position at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Hamilton led the race initially, with Leclerc beginning third but quickly moving up to second after George Russell lost momentum. On the first lap, Leclerc made two attempts to overtake Hamilton, including a controversial move at Turn 4 where he cut Turn 5 to gain the lead. This manoeuvre resulted in a five-second penalty for Leclerc, which ultimately dropped him behind race winner Max Verstappen.
The incident not only affected the race outcome but also reignited debate about Leclerc’s aggressive approach. Hamilton described Leclerc’s “do or die” mentality as harmful to the team’s prospects, especially given Ferrari’s chance for a commanding result. He referenced previous clashes with Leclerc at Zandvoort and Monza, emphasising the need for “serious talks” within Ferrari to address these issues.
Leclerc defended his racing style in a brief statement to Sky Sports, asserting that he would always push for victory when fighting for first place. Despite his penalty, he maintained that his actions were part of his commitment to winning. The clash, however, left Ferrari with only two wins so far in the 2026 season and trailing Mercedes by 126 points in the championship standings.
Hamilton acknowledged the efforts of Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur but expressed frustration over the lost opportunity in Mexico. He remained uncertain whether the team would implement any changes to better manage the intense intra-team rivalry. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen capitalised on the situation to take the race win, with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli finishing third and Leclerc fourth.
The Mexico Grand Prix incident underlined the challenges Ferrari faces in balancing the ambitions of two top drivers while maximising team results. Hamilton’s call for dialogue suggests that internal discussions may be necessary to prevent similar clashes in future races and to protect the team’s overall performance in the championship.