Leclerc passes Hamilton off track in Mexico, takes five-second penalty
The gist
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc passed teammate Lewis Hamilton off track in Mexico and got a five-second penalty.
The penalty left Hamilton saying stewards handed Leclerc the win, exposing Ferrari tension.
How it unfolded
- Nov 1, 2026On the opening lap at Turn 4, Hamilton (on pole) and Leclerc (third) went side by side; both went off track and Leclerc passed Hamilton over the grass to take the lead.
- Nov 1, 2026Stewards issued document 69 during the race, giving Leclerc a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage.
- Nov 1, 2026The baseline guideline is 10 seconds; stewards cut it to five because Hamilton was also off track on the inside and it happened early on lap one.