Ferrari appeared set for a one-two finish at the Mexican Grand Prix after Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton approached the opening corner at the front of the field. Instead, their fight continued through Turn 4, with both drivers running wide and Max Verstappen taking advantage to move into the lead and win for Red Bull.
The incident has revived concerns about Ferrari’s decision to let its drivers race without clearer limits. Several assessments compared the clash with the opening-lap collision at Monza, where the team-mates also compromised their race while battling each other. The latest episode was viewed as particularly costly because Ferrari may have thrown away a potential victory.
One view placed primary responsibility on Leclerc, arguing that he attacked his team-mate too aggressively and was not going to make the corner at that speed. Another assessment said both drivers were at fault, highlighting what was described as a recurring pattern of tension that has also included a disagreement over team instructions at Zandvoort.
Not all the blame was directed at Leclerc. Another analysis judged that Hamilton ultimately caused the loss by running wide in his duel. Had Hamilton stayed on track, he could have remained ahead and controlled the race, although it remains unknown whether he would have held off Verstappen later.
The disagreement between the drivers has raised broader questions about Ferrari’s internal management. Critics argued that allowing both cars to fight for position is fair only if it does not repeatedly risk losing victories. The incidents at Zandvoort, Monza and Mexico have been presented as evidence of declining trust between the drivers and a lack of confidence in the team’s ability to manage them.
The situation also risks putting additional pressure on team principal Fred Vasseur, who is credited with securing Leclerc’s commitment to the project and bringing Hamilton to Ferrari. If the drivers cannot follow a common approach under his leadership, the team could continue sacrificing results and damaging its internal cohesion.
The race also created a penalty debate. Both Ferrari drivers left the track while exiting Turn 4, but one assessment noted that Hamilton made the apex of Turn 5 while Leclerc did not and gained an advantage. On that basis, a five-second penalty for Leclerc was considered justified, although it did not compensate Hamilton for the time he lost running behind his team-mate in disturbed air.
A further concern was Leclerc’s approach after the red-flag restart, where he was described as equally or even more aggressive. Ferrari’s post-race review will therefore have to address not only responsibility for the Mexican Grand Prix incident, but also whether its current policy is allowing repeated team-mate confrontations to undermine its results.
Sources: The Race.