Stewards set Leclerc’s Mexico penalty at five seconds

The FIA stewards penalised Charles Leclerc for overtaking Lewis Hamilton off track at Turn 4, but reduced a 10-second baseline to five after Hamilton also went off and the incident happened early in lap one.

The stewards said both cars entered the corner too quickly for either to make it on the track. They ruled that Leclerc was not entitled to claim the corner because of his entry speed, and that completing the overtake off track warranted a penalty.

The Ferraris had gone wheel to wheel for the lead at the start. Hamilton narrowly held the advantage through the first corners; Leclerc was ahead at Turn 4’s apex, but came off the track while Hamilton gave him little room. Hamilton was on the inside and also went off track.

Leclerc had not returned the position by Turn 12, despite guidance discussed in the drivers’ briefing requiring him to do so. Hamilton argued that Leclerc should give the place back, saying his team-mate had clean air and did not have to manage like the rest. A few laps later, Hamilton said the stewards were effectively handing Leclerc the win.

Leclerc’s retained lead let him open a five-second gap to Max Verstappen. He later lost the virtual lead to Verstappen at the first pit stops, after Red Bull reacted to Ferrari’s stop to avoid an undercut.