Lewis Hamilton has been accused of manipulating the media following his outspoken criticism of Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc after their controversial collision of interests at the 2026 Mexican Grand Prix. Mario Miyakawa delivered a particularly forceful response during Sky Sport F1’s post-race coverage, questioning the seven-time world champion’s public comments and praising the Monegasque for taking a different approach.
The criticism has added another dimension to the growing tension between Ferrari’s two drivers following their battle at Turn 4 of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Their confrontation disrupted what Hamilton believed could have been a one-two finish for the Scuderia, while Max Verstappen ultimately secured victory. With both drivers offering different interpretations of the incident, attention has now turned to how they handled the controversy away from the circuit.
Lewis Hamilton accused of manipulating media after Ferrari teammate criticism
During Sky Sport F1’s analysis of the Mexican Grand Prix, Mario Miyakawa strongly criticised Hamilton’s approach to communicating with journalists and managing relationships within a Formula 1 team.
Miyakawa argued that certain experienced drivers were particularly skilled at influencing both media coverage and sections of their own teams. He specifically identified Lewis Hamilton as an example, while also referring to Fernando Alonso’s previous conduct and suggesting that former Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene would be familiar with such behaviour.
The commentator went further by characterising those communication methods as a form of manipulation. In his assessment, this explained why drivers sometimes made public statements that he considered inappropriate for someone in their position.
His criticism was directed particularly at the way Hamilton had discussed the incident with Charles Leclerc, whose explanation Miyakawa considered considerably more suitable.
Rather than publicly emphasising what Ferrari should have done differently, he believed drivers should leave those decisions to the individuals responsible for making or discussing them within the team.
Why Lewis Hamilton blamed Charles Leclerc after the Mexican GP
The disagreement originated from the Ferrari drivers’ battle at Turn 4 of the Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, where their attempts to gain an advantage had significant consequences for the race.
Charles Leclerc received a five-second penalty after completing an overtake outside the track limits, while Lewis Hamilton lost a position to Max Verstappen. The situation complicated Ferrari’s race and contributed to the team missing out on a potential one-two finish.
The incident and the circumstances surrounding Charles Leclerc’s five-second penalty at the Mexican Grand Prix became central talking points after the race.
Hamilton made little attempt to conceal his disappointment when addressing reporters. The British driver maintained that Ferrari had possessed sufficient pace to finish first and second, suggesting that the opportunity had been entirely realistic before the confrontation between the teammates.
He also expressed frustration at what he considered a lack of cooperation from Charles Leclerc, arguing that the Monegasque’s actions had worked against him and ultimately contributed to positions being lost.
The seven-time world champion then questioned his teammate’s mentality. Rather than attributing the situation to inexperience or age, Hamilton suggested that the 28-year-old approached their rivalry with an uncompromising attitude, prioritising his own victory even when that could prevent the team from achieving the best possible collective result.
Those remarks intensified the discussion surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s frustration over Ferrari’s lost victory opportunity and the handling of the two drivers’ battle in Mexico.
Charles Leclerc offers a different explanation of the Ferrari incident
Charles Leclerc presented a contrasting account of the controversial exchange, acknowledging that neither Ferrari driver had successfully negotiated the corner as intended.
The Monegasque explained that both he and Lewis Hamilton had attempted to brake extremely late, with neither managing to make the turn properly. His interpretation therefore placed greater emphasis on the actions of both drivers rather than assigning responsibility exclusively to his teammate.
Leclerc also highlighted the complication created by Max Verstappen’s position between the two Ferraris. The presence of the Red Bull driver made the situation more difficult to manage and added another factor to the disagreement over their respective positions.
Regarding Hamilton’s frustration, the Monegasque acknowledged that he was uncertain whether his teammate was particularly angry about the manoeuvre itself. He pointed out that the British driver’s own actions had also been close to the limit and suggested that the greater source of dissatisfaction might have been the way the overall incident was handled.
The different explanations offered by the two Ferrari drivers highlighted how far apart their interpretations remained after the chequered flag.
Mario Miyakawa praises Charles Leclerc’s response over Lewis Hamilton’s approach
It was precisely this difference in communication that attracted Mario Miyakawa’s attention during the post-race discussion.
In his view, Charles Leclerc had handled the media exchanges more appropriately by concentrating on explaining his own actions. Miyakawa contrasted that approach with Lewis Hamilton’s public criticism of what should have happened during the race.
The commentator argued that identifying alternative decisions after an incident was not particularly useful when responsibility for making or reviewing those decisions rested with other members of the team.
His assessment therefore went beyond the driving incident itself. While the dispute initially centred on what happened at Turn 4, Miyakawa questioned the impact of Hamilton’s public statements and the manner in which the British driver presented his account.
The controversy also places additional attention on Ferrari’s internal management following the Mexican Grand Prix. Team principal Fred Vasseur has already addressed the need for respect between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc following their confrontation.
With the two drivers continuing to disagree over the incident, Miyakawa’s comments have shifted part of the debate from their on-track battle to their conduct in front of the media. Hamilton’s criticism of his teammate has now become a subject of scrutiny in its own right, adding another layer to Ferrari’s difficult aftermath of the Mexican Grand Prix.
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