Follow us on Google Discover Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen touched as they fought for third place in Mexico. It came during a chaotic start at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Verstappen started two places behind Hamilton in fifth, but he charged down the outside at the first corner. He took to the grass, claiming he was forced to do so, and narrowly avoided the barriers.
When the order settled, Verstappen was fourth, directly behind Hamilton. With the aid of DRS, he tried to dive past on the brakes into turn one.
The world champion locked up and seemed to catch Hamilton by surprise. There was no major damage from the resulting contact.
However, with George Russell’s Mercedes sensing an opportunity, it was three abreast into turn four. Hamilton locked up this time and cut across the grass, earning a 10-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
Lewis Hamilton says he was ‘pushed wide’ by Max Verstappen at Mexican Grand Prix
Speaking on the radio immediately after the incident, Hamilton criticised Verstappen’s manoeuvre.
“I got pushed wide, got hit at turn one and pushed wide,” he told engineer Riccardo Adami.
The stewards investigated Verstappen for causing a collision, but ultimately decided not to take any further action.
Hamilton was cleared for failing to follow the race director’s instructions at turn four, but gained a couple of seconds and didn’t slow down afterwards.
The seven-time world champion also complained about his 2021 title rival at the start of the race, saying: “Max took a shortcut, lots of people gained advantage.”
What Lewis Hamilton said about Charles Leclerc retaining second place
In addition to Verstappen, Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc left the track at the start. The 41-year-old repeatedly asked his team over the radio whether there would be any action.
Leclerc elected not to concede second place to Hamilton, who lost an element of his front wing in the melee at the chicane, and ended up building a gap.
“I was ahead of Charles, I’ve lost part of my front wing as well,” he said.
Martin Brundle said the Ferrari drivers were too close for comfort in Austin last time out, and this was another instance of the duo battling aggressively.
Leclerc says Hamilton is now ‘comfortable’ at Ferrari, with his form improving, and is trying to retain his place as the lead driver.