Charles Leclerc blamed his lap one conflict with Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton on the System 1 Mexico Grand Prix on the observe format – claiming “a wall” at Flip 4 would have prevented it.
The Scuderia misplaced a simple victory at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday, after Hamilton began on pole and Leclerc third, who rapidly grabbed second from George Russell.
Leclerc then attacked Hamilton on the skin of Flip 1, hoping to finish the transfer down the within of the next nook, however the seven-time world champion briefly held place.
He tried once more on the skin of Flip 4 however each drivers out-braked themselves, inflicting Leclerc to take to the grass, minimize Flip 5, and seize the lead whereas Max Verstappen overtook Hamilton.
The Monegasque was subsequently given a five-second penalty, finally dropping to fourth, whereas a livid Hamilton completed runner-up to Verstappen with Kimi Antonelli in third.
“We have been talking about all of it Thursday on the driver’s briefing making an attempt to know by which method ought to we take a choice with that,” stated Leclerc.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Picture by: Bryn Lennon / System 1 through Getty Photographs
“I feel the conclusion of everyone seems to be that we first want, in all probability, to alter the tracks and be sure that there isn’t any locations or tracks the place you’ll be able to take these quantities of danger on the within.
“If there was, clearly, a wall on the exit of Flip 4, neither Lewis or I might have pushed the braking level that a lot.
“So I feel there’s some issues that we are able to enhance track-wise in an effort to make it extra easy as a result of in any other case it’s extremely sophisticated.”
Leclerc was referring to the standard begin chaos in Mexico, which final yr noticed Verstappen and others take to the grass at Flip 1, so it was agreed that stiffer penalties must be utilized.
Stewards due to this fact deemed that firstly, and through any restarts, drivers can be thought of each attacking and defending and face commonplace penalties in the event that they’ve gained a bonus off-track at Turns 1-3 and 4-6.
Leclerc reckons “the ultimate resolution is to have a observe that doesn’t will let you try this” and it was considerably echoed by Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, who said that the results “would have been worse in Monaco”.
Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari
Picture by: Anni Graf – System 1 through Getty Photographs
However the Frenchman doesn’t agree with Leclerc that the traits of the Mexico circuit was behind his lap one fiasco, as an alternative being pissed off that Ferrari was denied a 3rd win of 2026.
He stated: “The format of the observe for positive, it isn’t serving to, as a result of if in case you have a glance the final couple of years we had this type of situation however it could possibly’t be an excuse in any respect.
“Actually I am a bit pissed off as a result of I feel we did a correct step ahead by way of efficiency the final couple of occasions.
“We had been 1-2 at Flip 4. I do not bear in mind the final overtaking in Mexico, maybe on the finish of the ‘70s and when you find yourself 1-2, Flip 4, you do not think about that you just will not win the race.
“It is loads of frustration for me however I am not crucial. I feel it is loads of frustration for the two,000 folks working for the mission – and this I’ll want time to digest!”
Extra reporting by Ronald Vording
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