Former Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene has delivered a harsh assessment of Charles Leclerc following his controversial clash with Lewis Hamilton at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix. The Italian criticised the Monegasque for making a fool of himself during the opening-lap battle, while also highlighting Lewis Hamilton’s experience and tactical intelligence, both on and off the track.
Ferrari finished the Mexican Grand Prix with Lewis Hamilton in second place and Charles Leclerc fourth, missing an opportunity to secure victory after an intense confrontation between its two drivers shortly after the start. Maurizio Arrivabene has now offered his interpretation of the incident, placing much of the responsibility on Charles Leclerc while also discussing the wider challenge of managing Lewis Hamilton within the team.
How the Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc clash unfolded in Mexico
After the long opening straight at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Ferrari occupied the first two positions, with Lewis Hamilton leading Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque attempted to find a gap at Turn 2, but his teammate defended aggressively, firmly closing the door.
Charles Leclerc responded just as forcefully on the following straight, attempting an extremely ambitious late-braking manoeuvre before cutting the next corner as Lewis Hamilton forced him towards the outside. The confrontation created a difficult situation for Ferrari to manage, both on the circuit and within the team.
The incident became one of the defining moments of Ferrari’s disappointing afternoon, with the two drivers’ battle contributing to the loss of a potential victory. Charles Leclerc subsequently received a five-second penalty, further complicating his race. The Monegasque later responded to Lewis Hamilton’s frustration over their Mexico GP clash, offering his own perspective on the controversial opening lap.
Maurizio Arrivabene criticises Charles Leclerc for Mexico GP mistake
Maurizio Arrivabene acknowledged that the situation between Ferrari’s two drivers was far from ideal, particularly given the experience and tactical awareness that Lewis Hamilton brings to the opposite side of the garage.
“There have been problems. Leclerc is dealing with Hamilton on the other side of the garage, which is divided in two, and Hamilton has experience and cunning,” the former Ferrari team principal explained.
Continuing his assessment, Maurizio Arrivabene placed the greater share of responsibility on Charles Leclerc, pointing specifically to the Monegasque’s braking manoeuvre during the opening-lap confrontation.
“The moment Leclerc gives him the opportunity, as he did in this Mexican Grand Prix, with that incredibly late braking… Hamilton also braked too late, but Lewis had the experience to stay on the track, while Leclerc went off, making a fool of himself, I’m sorry to say.”
However, the former Ferrari boss’s interpretation does not entirely reflect what happened on track. Lewis Hamilton also ran wide and went off the circuit during the incident, something that is clearly visible when reviewing the footage. In that respect, Maurizio Arrivabene’s comments are not completely accurate and risk presenting a somewhat misleading picture of the confrontation by largely absolving the seven-time world champion of responsibility.
The incident has also brought renewed attention to the relationship between Ferrari’s two drivers and the difficulties of maintaining cooperation when both are fighting for victories. The wider implications of the Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc rivalry ahead of 2027 have become an increasingly important subject for the Maranello team.
Arrivabene believes Ferrari’s improving performance is the key
Despite his criticism of Charles Leclerc, Maurizio Arrivabene did not appear particularly concerned about Ferrari’s internal tensions. The former team principal believes that the most important factor in the team’s ability to win races is gradually falling into place: the car’s competitiveness.
“They need to be managed, but the car is coming along. Let them race each other, but without creating the mess we saw in Mexico City.”
His remarks suggest that competition between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc should not necessarily be discouraged, provided it does not become counterproductive for Ferrari. The problem in Mexico was not simply that the two drivers fought each other, but that their confrontation helped deprive the team of a result that appeared within reach.
That distinction is particularly significant given Ferrari’s recent performance improvements. With the car becoming increasingly competitive, managing the drivers effectively could prove just as important as the progress being made on track.
Maurizio Arrivabene warns about Lewis Hamilton’s off-track tactics
Maurizio Arrivabene also addressed another aspect of Lewis Hamilton’s experience: his ability to navigate the political and psychological dynamics within a Formula 1 team. The former Ferrari boss suggested that drivers sometimes make carefully calculated public statements designed to win support from the wider organisation.
Although his comments came in the context of the situation involving Lewis Hamilton, Maurizio Arrivabene framed the issue as a broader responsibility for any team principal managing two competitive drivers.
“The team principal has to be the team principal, and the driver has to be the driver. Sometimes drivers also make rather self-serving statements, in the sense that they try to get the entire team, the entire company, on their side.”
He then explained how he believes a team principal should respond when tensions between teammates threaten to undermine the team’s interests.
“That’s where the team principal has to step in, doing the team principal’s job and saying: ‘Listen, my children, the next time something like this happens, there will be hell to pay.’ Everyone in their place: you are two drivers and you are two Ferrari employees. Full stop.”
The message was clear: regardless of their reputation, achievements or standing within Formula 1, both drivers must ultimately answer to Ferrari and respect the authority of the team principal.
Following the Mexican Grand Prix, current Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur also demanded greater respect from Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, underlining the importance of representing the team and everyone working behind the scenes.
For Maurizio Arrivabene, the solution is not to prevent Ferrari’s drivers from racing one another, but to establish clear boundaries and ensure that individual ambitions never take priority over the team’s objectives. With the car showing encouraging progress, the challenge for Ferrari is to prevent another internal confrontation from costing it a potential victory.
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