Vasseur slams Hamilton and Leclerc 'lack of respect' as Ferrari's Mexico win slips away

Ferrari arrive in Brazil this week nursing a self-inflicted wound. Team principal Fred Vasseur has accused both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc of showing a lack of respect for the team after the pair tangled on the opening lap of the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday, a clash that cost Ferrari a likely victory and handed the win to Max Verstappen.

What happened at Turn 4

Hamilton started from pole position with Leclerc third on the grid. Leclerc took the outside line into Turn 1 to set up a move into Turn 2, leaving Hamilton still ahead as they headed for Turn 4. There Leclerc tried to go around the outside; both drivers braked late, ran wide and left the track, and Leclerc emerged ahead after cutting across the corner.

Hamilton lost momentum and Verstappen passed him at Turn 6. The stewards handed Leclerc a five-second time penalty for gaining a lasting advantage. Leclerc then had to build a gap to cover that penalty, but Verstappen moved into the net lead during the pit stops and stayed there, holding off a late charge from Hamilton through a second standing restart and a safety car period.

Hamilton finished second and Leclerc fourth. Hamilton had complained on the radio that a five-second penalty was too lenient while Leclerc still enjoyed clean air at the front.

Vasseur's verdict

Speaking to Canal+ after the race, Vasseur was blunt. "I think it's a lack of respect, a lack of respect for the brand," he said, according to RacingNews365. He stressed that Ferrari had made a genuine step forward in performance and that throwing away a win was hard to accept, pointing out that the drivers race for sponsors and roughly 2,000 staff.

Asked whether he was singling out Leclerc, Vasseur said he was not targeting anyone and wanted to talk with both drivers, noting that Hamilton had also run very wide.

Hamilton questions Leclerc's mindset

Hamilton was far less diplomatic. He told reporters he was furious and said the problem was Leclerc's mentality, describing it as a do-or-die approach in which either Leclerc wins or neither of them does. He said Leclerc's age was not the issue.

Hamilton also referred back to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where he said he had chosen not to make a risky move on Leclerc, a decision that helped Ferrari secure a one-two. He also recalled an opening-lap tussle between the pair at Monza that cost him several places.

Leclerc, for his part, said he would always go for a gap when fighting for victory and that both drivers had braked as late as possible. He revealed he had asked the team over the radio about giving the position back, but kept it, and admitted he was sure Hamilton hated those opening laps, adding that the two would talk it through.

Why it matters for the run-in

The lost win has a statistical sting. Red Bull now have three victories in 2026 to Ferrari's two, and Ferrari sit 126 points behind Mercedes in the constructors' standings with four races left, so another Mercedes surge at Interlagos would end their faint hopes of the teams' title.

Ferrari are not yet certain of second either. They lead Red Bull 504 to 382, a 122-point cushion with 172 points still to be won, so the team cannot afford many more weekends where its drivers take points off each other.

Key takeaways

• Leclerc received a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage at Turn 4 on lap one.
• Verstappen inherited the lead in the pit stops and won; Hamilton was second, Leclerc fourth.
• Vasseur said the clash showed a lack of respect for Ferrari and plans to speak to both drivers.
• Hamilton criticised Leclerc's do-or-die mentality; Leclerc said they would discuss it.
• Ferrari's second place in the constructors' table is not yet mathematically secure.

FAQ

Why was Leclerc penalised in Mexico? The stewards ruled he gained a lasting advantage by cutting across Turn 4 after both Ferraris ran off the track, and gave him a five-second time penalty.

Did Ferrari issue team orders? Leclerc said he asked over the radio about returning the position but stayed ahead. Ferrari have not announced any formal change to their rules of engagement.

When do Ferrari race next? At the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with the race on Sunday 8 November local time, which is 1am on Monday 9 November in Malaysia.

Sources: RacingNews365, Canal+, Sky Sports