Charles Leclerc has acknowledged that his penalty during the Mexico City Grand Prix was justified following a contentious first-lap battle with Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton, although he believes the circumstances surrounding the incident deserve closer examination.
The two Ferrari drivers were involved in an intense opening-lap contest, with Leclerc determined to capitalise on every opportunity as both fought for victory.
The Monegasque defended his aggressive approach, insisting that the exchanges were a natural consequence of two drivers competing at the front of the field.
“At Turns 1 and 2, there was a gap on the inside, and whenever I have the opportunity to fight for the win, I always go for it,” Leclerc explained.
The battle continued through Turns 4 and 5, where both drivers pushed the limits under braking.
“I went for it. I braked as late as possible, and I think we both missed the corner,” he admitted.
Verstappen’s Intervention Complicated the Situation
Leclerc revealed that he had initially intended to hand the position back to Hamilton after the incident, but the situation changed almost immediately when Max Verstappen overtook the seven-time world champion.
“I had already decided in my mind that I would give him the position back without much delay, but just afterwards, Lewis was overtaken by Max,” he explained.
That development complicated what Leclerc had initially considered a straightforward decision.
With the running order altered, the Ferrari driver turned to his team over the radio for guidance. Ferrari ultimately instructed him to maintain his position rather than surrender it.
Despite following that instruction, Leclerc made no attempt to dispute the principle of the subsequent penalty.
“The penalty was clearly deserved,” he acknowledged.
However, the Ferrari driver wants greater clarity over the severity of the sanction, particularly given his assessment that both cars had failed to negotiate the corner.
Leclerc expects the incident to be revisited during the next drivers’ briefing, where the circumstances and the reasoning behind the stewards’ decision could be discussed.
Leclerc Plays Down Tensions With Hamilton
The incident also raised questions about the intensity of the competition between Ferrari’s two drivers, but Leclerc was reluctant to portray their confrontation as anything beyond hard racing.
He confirmed that he intended to discuss the exchanges with Hamilton, while making clear that he had his own reasons to question aspects of his team-mate’s driving.
“I could also have been unhappy with the way he pushed me off the track at Turn 1, but I think it’s simply hard racing,” Leclerc said.
His comments reflected a willingness to accept the competitive nature of the encounter without allowing the incident to overshadow the team’s wider performance.
Ferrari’s Encouraging Pace Overshadowed by Late Difficulties
Beyond the opening-lap controversy, Leclerc identified positive signs in Ferrari’s performance at the Mexico City Grand Prix, particularly during the opening stint.
The team’s competitive pace offered encouragement, although the latter stages of the race proved considerably more challenging for the Monegasque.
At the second restart, Leclerc found himself on the dirty side of the circuit, where accumulated tyre marbles significantly reduced the available grip.
A subsequent lock-up of his front-left wheel compounded those difficulties, leaving him focused primarily on reaching the finish.
“From that moment onwards, I was just trying to hang on until the chequered flag,” he admitted.
Despite the difficult conclusion to his race, Leclerc remained encouraged by Ferrari’s underlying performance in Mexico.
His assessment nevertheless leaves two distinct issues for Ferrari to address: understanding the circumstances surrounding the penalty and building on the competitive pace demonstrated earlier in the Grand Prix.
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