Charles Leclerc commented on the first-lap contact involving Lewis Hamilton and the chaotic second that additionally noticed Max Verstappen become involved. Right here’s what the Monegasque driver stated as he defined what occurred through the begin of the Mexican Grand Prix.
The Maranello-based staff claimed its seventh podium of the 2025 Components 1 season because of Charles Leclerc, who supplied an in depth account of what unfolded at the beginning in Mexico. The Ferrari driver discovered himself “sandwiched” between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen because the lights went out.
Leclerc caught between Hamilton and Verstappen
As seen at the beginning of the Mexican Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc lined up second on the soiled facet of the grid, which prevented him from getting good traction off the road. The quantity 16 Ferrari was compelled to defend towards Hamilton on the within, leaving the surface line huge open. Max Verstappen seized that chance and tried to go across the exterior. Each Leclerc and Verstappen went off at Flip 1, however not like his Dutch rival, Leclerc didn’t give the place again to his teammate. It was a wise transfer that in the end compromised the race of the seven-time world champion. Right here’s what the Monegasque needed to say in regards to the begin and his contact with Lewis Hamilton.
Leclerc: “It was fairly worrying”
“Chaos. I hated each second of the beginning,” Charles Leclerc admitted. “Clearly, there was Lewis on the within, and I don’t assume he anticipated Max to be on the surface. So there was a small contact, after which I ended up on the soiled facet of the observe with no grip in any respect. I couldn’t keep there as a result of the angle with Lewis was simply unimaginable to handle in that nook. So I needed to go straight, but it surely was fairly worrying. I truthfully thought the race was over not only for me, however for Lewis and Max too—particularly for Lewis. That’s racing, I feel Lewis simply needed to go for his transfer. I’d have executed precisely the identical if I had been him, so yeah… it’s utterly regular.”
Charles Leclerc’s managed race and one other podium for Ferrari
Charles Leclerc didn’t criticize Lewis Hamilton’s aggressive transfer at the beginning. The disagreeable feeling he described got here from believing, for a quick second, that every one three automobiles might have been out of the race. The Monegasque driver correctly determined to again off to keep away from any additional threat.
From that time onward, his race turned one in all pure administration. The medium compound tyre supplied little or no grip and was removed from preferrred when it comes to efficiency, forcing the Monegasque driver to rigorously management his tempo. Happily, the looks of the Digital Security Automobile later within the race prevented Max Verstappen from trying one other overtake and denied the Dutchman the possibility to take second place away from him.
It was the second consecutive podium for Charles Leclerc and his seventh of the 2025 Components 1 season, confirming Ferrari’s rising consistency and competitiveness because the championship heads into its ultimate rounds.
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