Charles Leclerc seized the lead of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix from Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton during a dramatic opening-lap battle, with Max Verstappen also taking advantage to move into second place. Hamilton had initially defended his pole-position advantage through the first corners, but the running order changed rapidly as the two Ferrari drivers fought for the lead.
The seven-time world champion made a strong getaway and arrived at Turn 1 with Leclerc alongside him after George Russell struggled off the line. Although Hamilton initially kept his teammate behind, Leclerc moved ahead at Turn 4 after their close battle took him across the grass. Hamilton subsequently lost another position to Verstappen, leaving the pole-sitter third before the end of the opening lap.
Lewis Hamilton defends against Charles Leclerc at Mexico GP start
Hamilton had started the race from pole position, with George Russell alongside him on the front row. Charles Leclerc and championship contender Andrea Kimi Antonelli occupied the second row, setting up an important run towards the first corner at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
The opening sequence was particularly significant for Ferrari, with both cars starting inside the top three and therefore having an opportunity to fight at the front immediately. Hamilton was attempting to convert his first Ferrari pole into an early race lead, while Leclerc was well positioned to challenge from third.
There had already been a concern for Hamilton during the formation lap. The British driver locked his front-right tyre approaching the first corner, raising the possibility of a flat spot before the race had even begun. The incident did not prevent him from making a competitive start, although any lasting effect on the tyre was not immediately clear.
Further back, Pierre Gasly was slow to get away during the formation lap, briefly delaying the cars behind him. The situation appeared to resolve itself, allowing the field to return to the grid for the scheduled start.
Charles Leclerc takes Mexico GP lead after Ferrari battle at Turn 4
When the lights went out, Hamilton launched well from pole position. However, Russell’s poor getaway allowed Leclerc to become the closest challenger to his Ferrari teammate on the approach to Turn 1.
The two red cars ran side by side through the opening corners, with Hamilton narrowly maintaining the lead during the initial exchange. Neither Ferrari driver had established a decisive advantage as they negotiated the early part of the lap.
The decisive moment came at Turn 4, where Leclerc moved ahead of Hamilton after the pair had battled into the corner. The Monegasque went across the grass during the manoeuvre but emerged in front, turning Ferrari’s qualifying advantage into an immediate contest between its own drivers.
Hamilton’s difficulties did not end with losing the lead. Max Verstappen capitalised on the Ferrari driver’s reduced momentum and moved past him on the exit, climbing into second position.
Within the space of a few corners, Hamilton had gone from leading the field away from pole position to running third, while Leclerc had climbed from his original third-place grid slot into the lead.
Ferrari’s opening-lap fight changes the order at the front
The opening lap provided an immediate illustration of how quickly the order could change despite Ferrari’s strong qualifying performance. Hamilton had successfully defended his position at the first corner, but the subsequent battle with Leclerc allowed the momentum to swing in his teammate’s favour.
Verstappen’s move into second also changed the complexion of the race for Ferrari. Rather than holding the first two places, the Scuderia now had its drivers separated by a Red Bull, with Hamilton facing the task of recovering the position he had lost.
Meanwhile, Andrea Kimi Antonelli entered the race knowing that ninth place would be sufficient to secure the world championship. The Mercedes driver’s title situation added another significant dimension to the opening stages, particularly given the possibility of incidents through the tightly contested first corners.
For Ferrari, the immediate outcome was a mixture of opportunity and frustration. Leclerc had taken the lead from third on the grid, demonstrating the advantage gained from his strong start and opening-lap attack. Hamilton, however, had surrendered two places despite launching well from pole.
The circumstances surrounding Leclerc’s move across the grass at Turn 4 could also become relevant to the assessment of the opening-lap battle, depending on whether the incident attracts further attention from race control.
After just one lap of the 71-lap Mexico City Grand Prix, Ferrari remained at the centre of the fight for victory, but the order was already very different from the one established in qualifying. Leclerc led, Verstappen occupied second and Hamilton faced an immediate challenge to regain ground after a dramatic opening exchange.
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