Hamilton vs Leclerc in Mexico: What Happened at Turn 4

Lewis Hamilton started the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix on pole, but an opening-lap fight with his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc cost the team the win. Both drivers ran wide at Turn 4, Leclerc cut across the grass to take the lead and later served a five-second penalty, and Max Verstappen won.

Last updated: November 3, 2026

What happened between Hamilton and Leclerc on lap 1?

Hamilton took his first Grand Prix pole for Ferrari on Saturday and kept the lead into Turn 1. Leclerc went around the outside under braking, and the two Ferraris ran side by side through the opening corners with Hamilton still ahead.

At Turn 4, both drivers braked late and ran wide. According to Formula 1’s report, Hamilton rejoined the track as soon as he could, while Leclerc crossed the grass and came out in the lead. Hamilton lost momentum and dropped a place to Verstappen.

Did Leclerc get a penalty?

Yes. The stewards gave Leclerc a five-second time penalty for the Turn 4 move. Formula 1 reported that the penalty was not harsher because Hamilton had also gone off track. Leclerc served the five seconds at his pit stop and lost the lead to Verstappen there. If you are new to how this works, our guide to F1 penalties explains five-second and ten-second penalties step by step.

How did the race finish?

The race was stopped with a red flag. After the restart, Hamilton got back ahead of Leclerc, but Verstappen stayed in front.

Source: formula1.com race result. Hamilton lost the win by less than a second, and the third place was enough for Antonelli to clinch the title. Full report: Mexico City GP 2026 results.

What did Hamilton say after the race?

Hamilton was clear that Ferrari let a one-two finish slip. He told Formula 1 the team “easily had a car to have P1 and P2” and added: “We have to have some serious talks.” He also pointed to the drivers’ briefing, where giving places back after running wide had been discussed, and recalled that he received a ten-second penalty for a similar move last year.

The Formula 1 report has no direct quote from Leclerc or from team principal Fred Vasseur about the incident, so we do not report other quotes here.

Why does this matter for Ferrari?

The drivers’ title is gone, but Ferrari still has two goals. In the drivers’ standings Hamilton is third on 259 points, two behind Verstappen, and Leclerc is fifth on 245. In the constructors’ race Ferrari is second on 504, 126 behind Mercedes. A team that “easily had a car” for a one-two cannot afford to lose points to each other in the last four races, starting with São Paulo on November 8.

For Hamilton’s full season, read Hamilton at Ferrari 2026. For the full table, see the F1 standings 2026.

FAQ

Who won the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix?

Max Verstappen won for Red Bull, 0.799 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Kimi Antonelli was third and clinched the 2026 title.

What happened between Hamilton and Leclerc?

Both Ferraris ran wide at Turn 4 on the opening lap. Leclerc crossed the grass to take the lead, and Hamilton lost a place to Verstappen.

What penalty did Leclerc get in Mexico?

A five-second time penalty. He served it at his pit stop and lost the lead to Verstappen.

Where did Hamilton start the Mexico City Grand Prix?

On pole position. It was his first Grand Prix pole for Ferrari.

This article is part of our F1 2026 season hub.

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