Charles Leclerc has now delivered his opinion on the controversial second together with his Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton on the Method 1 Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix.
Leclerc and Hamilton acquired their elbows out towards one another on the opening lap of the 71-lap race on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday.
The Monegasque made an aggressive transfer on Saturday’s pole-sitter for the lead of the race at Flip 4.
However as neither left any margin out on observe, Leclerc was pressured to take evasive motion, and Hamilton was compromised out of Flip 5 with Max Verstappen taking the online race lead.
After the race, Hamilton referred to as out his team-mate’s “mentality”, with the seven-time F1 World Champion additionally proclaiming Ferrari had “huge issues” to handle on the workforce radio.
Leclerc has now responded, conceding that his incident with Hamilton will probably be a “speaking level” inside the Scuderia.
“I didn’t actually have clear suggestions, and I feel it was simply complicated sufficient to maintain the place,” he instructed media together with Motorsport Week.
“I used to be anticipating some sort of penalty. I spoke briefly with the workforce to attempt to perceive. I requested, ‘What shall I do now?’
“It’s at all times very difficult. And clearly, in that scenario, you sort of count on to… it’s important to do one thing, however is it second? Is it third? Is it fourth? Effectively, fourth in all probability didn’t make sense, however second or third.
“Ultimately, I saved going. Clearly, it’s going to be a little bit of a speaking level for certain on the subsequent briefing.”
Charles Leclerc feels he ‘paid the value’ for equal Lewis Hamilton mistake at F1 Mexico GP
Leclerc was handed a five-second time penalty by the stewards after he failed to provide the place again.
On the chequered flag, he completed fourth, behind the 2026 drivers’ Champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Trying again, Leclerc refused to take the complete blame on himself. He insisted that “we each made a mistake,” for which it was he who had taken the ire of the stewards.
“We’re combating for the win, and so, in fact, there’s going to be little or no margin left from him and from me,” he added.
“Ultimately, we each made a mistake going into Flip 4. It’s not like we had contact or no matter. We each went straight, and that gave the chance for Max to overhaul.
“So, I don’t suppose it needs to be that a lot of a speaking level.
“After all, it was shut; [Turns] 1-2-3 was very shut, however I used to be anticipating it to combat for the lead.
“[Turns] 4 [and] 5, we each made a mistake that I paid for with a penalty. Then you possibly can argue whether or not it’s sufficient or not, and Lewis then paid out of [Turn] 5 with Max.”
Heading into the race weekend at Interlagos, Leclerc at the moment sits fifth within the standings.
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