Hamilton says Ferrari need serious talks after Mexico GP
Lewis Hamilton stated Ferrari must hold serious talks following the Mexico City Grand Prix on November 1, 2026, after intra-team battles cost them victory.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Lewis Hamilton urged Ferrari to hold urgent internal discussions behind closed doors.
- Clashes between team-mates cost them the victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
- The incident follows a series of growing tensions between the drivers this season.
Lewis Hamilton stated that Ferrari must have serious discussions behind closed doors following the Mexico City Grand Prix on November 1, 2026, after an on-track battle between their two drivers cost the team a potential race victory.
The trouble began on the opening lap when Charles Leclerc cut a chicane to seize the lead from Hamilton, who subsequently lost second place to Max Verstappen as a direct consequence of his team-mate's aggressive maneuver. Verstappen ultimately went on to win the race, with Hamilton taking second and Kimi Antonelli finishing third, a result that crowned Antonelli as the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Addressing the intense wheel-to-wheel combat, Hamilton remarked that while he could have expressed frustration over being pushed wide at Turn One, it was simply hard racing when competing for a win. "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."
Managing driver rivalries while maintaining team objectives is one of the delicate balancing acts in Formula 1. When two top-tier drivers compete without strict team orders, it often delivers thrilling racing for fans but risks costly collisions and squandered points in the Constructors' Championship. Ferrari's upcoming internal talks will likely focus on redefining boundaries to protect the team's overall championship ambitions.
This incident represents the latest and arguably most severe escalation in a growing series of tensions between Hamilton and Leclerc throughout the current Formula 1 season. It directly follows an earlier episode at the Italian Grand Prix where Leclerc pushed Hamilton wide at the first corner.
Prior to that race, Leclerc had ignored a direct team instruction to let Hamilton pass while they were running on contrasting race strategies. Another similar friction point occurred in Singapore the previous month, where Hamilton felt team intervention was warranted due to a tyre strategy offset, but Ferrari ultimately refused to make the call.
Source: BBC Sport
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