The seven-time champion finished second and said the opening-lap fight with his team mate lost Ferrari the victory.
Lewis Hamilton finished second in the Mexico City Grand Prix and said his opening-lap fight with Ferrari team mate Charles Leclerc cost the team victory. He said Ferrari easily had a car for a one-two and that serious talks are needed behind the scenes.
Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari lost the Mexico City Grand Prix because of his opening-lap fight with team mate Charles Leclerc. The seven-time World Champion finished second behind Max Verstappen and said the team easily had a car to take first and second.
Hamilton had claimed his first Grand Prix pole position for Ferrari and held his advantage on the long run to Turn 1. Leclerc moved to the outside under braking, and the pair ran side by side through the opening corners with Hamilton just staying ahead.
What happened at Turn 4
Hamilton defended again into Turn 4, and both Ferraris went deep and off the track. Hamilton tried to rejoin as soon as possible, while Leclerc took a path across the grass and took the lead. Hamilton's lost momentum let Verstappen pass him for second place.
Leclerc was handed a five-second penalty. The stewards did not impose anything harsher because Hamilton had also gone off the track. Leclerc lost the lead to Verstappen after serving the penalty during a pit stop, and Hamilton moved ahead of his team mate after a mid-race restart that followed a red flag. Hamilton challenged Verstappen until the end but finished second.
What Hamilton said
Hamilton said the drivers had discussed in the briefing that anyone going off at Turn 1 must give the position back. He said he received a 10-second penalty last year for the same move Leclerc made, and that it was this incident that lost the win.
"I think we have to have some serious talks behind the scenes for sure," Hamilton said. He added that working as a team is part of the drivers' job and part of their contract, and that every decision in the car affects the people working behind the scenes.
Hamilton said the problem will continue unless action is taken and a deep, serious conversation is held. He said he has had close battles with team mates before and cannot always get it right, but that nine times out of ten it should be possible. He said the matter would be taken offline and that the conversation would not be easy but must be done.
A recurring theme this season
The two Ferrari drivers have gone wheel to wheel before this year. They had a frenetic battle in China, and Leclerc apologised for pushing Hamilton off at the start of the Italian Grand Prix.
