Leclerc Accepts Five-Second Penalty After Hamilton Battle

Charles Leclerc accepted that his five-second penalty was deserved after an opening-lap fight with Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where the pair ran wide at Turn 4 while contesting the lead.

Leclerc finished fourth at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, while Hamilton took second behind race winner Max Verstappen. The Ferrari drivers were involved in a contentious early sequence shortly after the start, with Leclerc remaining ahead after crossing the grass when both drivers failed to make Turn 4 cleanly.

The decision to keep the position proved decisive. With Verstappen moving into contention, Leclerc said he asked what he should do and ultimately retained the place, knowing a penalty could follow. The stewards later imposed a five-second sanction.

Leclerc explains Turn 4 decision

Speaking after the race, Leclerc said the penalty was fair while describing why he did not immediately give up the position. “The penalty was deserved in a way,” he said. “The thing is that it was a bit confusing because we both didn’t make Turn 4. 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 stewards issued a five-second penalty rather than the usual 10-second sanction. Their reasoning included Hamilton also leaving the track and the fact that the incident occurred on the opening lap, both of which were treated as mitigating circumstances.

Leclerc maintained that neither Ferrari driver had completed the corner properly and said the changing order around them influenced his judgment. Verstappen’s involvement was particularly significant in his calculation, with Leclerc explaining that he felt retaining the position was worth the risk once the Red Bull had moved ahead of Hamilton.

“I think we both didn’t make the corner,” Leclerc said. “I don’t know if Lewis’ point was for me to get P3. 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 result left Hamilton in second place and Leclerc fourth, with Verstappen winning the race. The contrast between the two Ferrari finishing positions ensured that the opening-lap decision remained a central issue after the chequered flag.

Ferrari set for internal talks before Sao Paulo

Hamilton expressed frustration over team radio and later said Ferrari needed serious discussions, believing the incident had cost the team a potential one-two finish. Leclerc said he was prepared to discuss the disagreement with Hamilton and Ferrari management.

The 28-year-old also pointed to earlier contact in the opening sequence, saying he could have been unhappy with how he was pushed off track out of Turn 1. But he framed the clash as part of close competition between teammates fighting near the front.

“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.”

Ferrari will now seek to settle the matter internally before the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil, scheduled for November 6-8. The team holds a 124-point advantage over Red Bull in the fight for second place in the Constructors’ Championship, making the management of on-track battles between its drivers an important issue for the final stretch.