What a start
The Mexican Grand Prix once again delivered one of the most intense and action-packed starts of the season. Beyond the usual chaos that unfolded at the end of the main straight — with drivers going wide or off the track as happens nearly every year — it was the first fifteen seconds after the lights went out that truly defined the race. In that brief window, numerous small but crucial events occurred, some of which were easy to miss amid the mayhem of the start.
The start: Norris and Hamilton nail it, Leclerc hunts for the slipstream
As the lights went out, both Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton got off the line exceptionally well among the front runners. Charles Leclerc, however, struggled slightly, losing rear grip and suffering a brief moment of wheelspin. The Monegasque’s issue seemed twofold: first, an imperfect clutch release, and second, being on the dirty side of the grid, which naturally offers less traction. From that point, the battle for the slipstream began — one of the key tactical elements at the start of any race and a critical factor in a driver’s decision-making.
Lando Norris made his intentions clear from the first meters: he stayed on a straight line, which meant that he wasn’t giving a tow to the Ferrari right behind him (Leclerc), but instead to Lewis Hamilton, who started slightly further back. That’s why Norris initially didn’t move to defend against Charles Leclerc; he had likely noticed Leclerc’s imperfect launch. As a result, Leclerc cut diagonally across the track to tuck in behind the McLaren, aiming to pick up its slipstream and at the same time block Lewis Hamilton’s better start.
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Hamilton’s first “lift”
With Leclerc directly in front of him, Lewis Hamilton was forced to slightly lift off the throttle — telemetry shows by about 11 percent. Finding no room on the left, the seven-time world champion switched positions with Leclerc, moving to his right and putting his foot back down. The Briton’s acceleration was superior, thanks to his cleaner launch and more linear momentum, allowing him to pull alongside the Ferrari. At this point, Norris once again showed great awareness — likely following a pre-planned move — by shifting toward the inside line. In doing so, he deprived Charles Leclerc of another tow and began preparing to defend into Turn 1, still some 700 meters ahead.
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Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton followed Norris toward the right side of the track. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion now held the advantage, being on Charles Leclerc’s right and directly behind Norris’s McLaren, where he could benefit from the strongest slipstream. Leclerc, boxed in and unable to get clean air, tried to stay as close as possible to both cars, running just centimeters away from Lewis Hamilton at around 250 km/h. Meanwhile, Verstappen — who had already passed George Russell’s Mercedes — latched onto Charles Leclerc’s slipstream from behind.
The slipstreams start to take effect
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As the cars exceeded 250 km/h, the aerodynamic tow effect intensified significantly. The drivers who benefitted most were Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver closed rapidly on Leclerc, almost touching the Ferrari before darting left — the only open space, since Charles Leclerc was squeezed against Hamilton on the right — and began to draw alongside. At the same time, Hamilton was being pulled forward by Norris’s McLaren, exceeding 300 km/h with a speed advantage of about 8 km/h over the Monegasque and nearly 14 km/h over Norris.
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The second lift for Hamilton
However, Lewis Hamilton soon found himself in trouble. He was carrying too much speed and had nowhere to go. The Ferrari driver had to lift off the throttle again — this time by 27 percent for roughly 2.1 seconds, a significant loss at such a crucial moment. To escape the tight situation, Lewis Hamilton attempted to move left, toward Charles Leclerc.
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The moment of teamwork
At this stage, there was perhaps the only moment of cooperation between the two Ferrari drivers. Instead of trapping Lewis Hamilton behind Lando Norris, Leclerc shifted left to give his teammate space to emerge and challenge the McLaren for position.
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Norris, who had no slipstream to rely on, was now the slowest of the four. The Briton nearly managed to pull alongside him, and all four drivers approached the braking zone side by side. In making room for Hamilton, Leclerc pushed Verstappen slightly outward, forcing the Dutchman to brake on the outside kerb. Verstappen briefly lost grip, with his car bouncing and sliding over the kerb before heading straight onto the grass.
The data tells the story
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Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc made light contact on the side, fortunately without damage. Norris, on the inside and braking perfectly, took the lead. Both Norris and Hamilton hit the end of the straight at 312 km/h — impressive for Norris, who, starting from pole, could only rely on his power unit and aerodynamic efficiency. McLaren’s tight bodywork design in Mexico City likely contributed to that efficiency. Charles Leclerc reached 314 km/h, while Verstappen peaked at an incredible 320 km/h.
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The data clearly confirms this sequence of events, as well as Verstappen’s off-track rally-style countersteer run across the grass, where he briefly clocked higher speeds than those who stayed on the tarmac. Charles Leclerc, who cut across the corner and rejoined the track, slowed down to let Norris back through. What followed was a moment of confusion: both Verstappen and Charles Leclerc allowed only Norris to pass. Hamilton, who had taken Turns 2 and 3 right behind Norris in second place, was furious to find himself fourth. Verstappen didn’t give way immediately, prompting Hamilton to attack, running off line as the two fought for position.
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Using onboard footage, helicopter shots, and data, analysts reconstructed the exact moment when Leclerc suffered a snap of oversteer three-quarters through Turn 1 and decided to run straight through the grass. This reconstruction clearly revealed the positioning of all the cars at that instant.
Hamilton’s complaint was justified
The analysis confirmed without any doubt that Lewis Hamilton’s car was ahead of Charles Leclerc’s — by about four meters. His frustration over the team radio was therefore entirely justified. From being second behind Lando Norris without leaving the track, Lewis Hamilton suddenly found himself fourth, as neither Charles Leclerc nor Max Verstappen gave the position back voluntarily.
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Within two laps, Lewis Hamilton came under pressure from Max Verstappen again and later received a penalty that ruined his race. Yet those opening seconds — from the lights to Turn 1 — remain one of the most fascinating sequences of the entire event, perfectly illustrating the extreme split-second decisions Formula 1 drivers must make under immense pressure. From this analysis, Norris emerges as the biggest winner of the start. Lewis Hamilton also performed strongly, while Charles Leclerc’s getaway, although not disastrous, was less than ideal. However, the Monegasque would later redeem himself with a strong overall race, which deserves separate analysis.
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