Lewis Hamilton slams Charles Leclerc over 'all or nothing' approach after Mexico GP clash
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Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has hit out at Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, criticising his on-track approach as an "all or nothing" mentality after a squandered one-two finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Hamilton started from pole position at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, while Leclerc lined up third before quickly sweeping into second following a sluggish launch from George Russell. The Monegasque launched an aggressive attack around the outside into Turn 1, but after bouncing over the Turn 2 kerb, he slotted back behind his teammate.
The intra-team scrap escalated as Leclerc launched another move around the outside into Turn 4. Running out of road, the Monegasque cut across the Turn 5 run-off area to take the lead, a manoeuvre that subsequently earned him a five-second time penalty.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen capitalised on the chaos, scything past Hamilton before Leclerc's penalty sealed the win for the Dutchman. Hamilton took the chequered flag in second ahead of newly crowned world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes, while Leclerc was demoted to fourth, leaving Ferrari with just two wins across the 2026 campaign.
"Back when I was at Mercedes, I watched Charles and Carlos Sainz battle in so many races. They fought each other so hard that the car ahead just drove away, even though both had the pace to win. It's one thing when you're fighting for fourth and fifth, but it's entirely different when you're running first and second and throw away the race. That's unacceptable. "He's 28 now, so I don't think it's a matter of age, it's about mentality. It's an approach of: 'If I can't win, nobody will.' That is completely wrong because today should have been an easy one-two for the team," a frustrated Hamilton stated.
The flashpoint in Mexico is the latest chapter in an increasingly strained dynamic between the Ferrari pair. The friction began at Zandvoort, where the Briton was held up on track and voiced his frustration over the lack of clear team orders. At the following round in Monza, Hamilton lost ground after being squeezed into the gravel at Turn 2 by Leclerc, who accepted responsibility at the time.
"I don't know how we're going to resolve this back at the factory," Hamilton continued. "We threw away vital points today after the entire team worked relentlessly. We had the pace for a comfortable one-two. When you head into Turn 4 in first and second, you simply hold station. But when your teammate is working against you and you lose results like that, it's a bitter pill to swallow."
Hamilton underlined his concern for the workforce in Maranello, who face another title-less campaign as they trail constructors' championship leaders Mercedes by a substantial 126 points.
"Fred is doing everything he can," Hamilton said of team principal Fred Vasseur. "He came to speak with me before the race, and you could see the tension. It's completely natural that he wants both drivers to deliver. But if I'm the one attacking from behind, take an unnecessary risk, and let the entire team down, I have to take responsibility because it affects so many people. "In this case, I was leading and the clash was entirely avoidable. A one-two would have meant the world to everyone back at the factory who worked so hard on the latest upgrades. I don't know what action will be taken since nothing has been done so far, but something definitely needs to change," the Briton concluded.
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