Hamilton seeks Ferrari talks after Mexico clash as Antonelli clinches title

Lewis Hamilton called for internal discussions at Ferrari after a first-lap battle with Charles Leclerc at the Mexico City Grand Prix. According to BBC Sport, Leclerc took the lead after cutting a chicane, while Hamilton subsequently lost second place to Max Verstappen. Verstappen won, with Hamilton second and Kimi Antonelli third.

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Hamilton argued that Ferrari had the speed to finish first and second if the drivers had maintained their positions. That was his assessment of a possible outcome, not a result the team achieved. He also said Ferrari lacked agreed rules for managing battles between its drivers and called for changes.

Leclerc said he would discuss the incident with Hamilton, but maintained that both had missed the corner and that Hamilton had forced him wide at Turn One. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur expressed frustration and said the matter would be discussed internally. Verstappen, meanwhile, acknowledged that Ferrari's fight had helped him.

The same podium marked a championship milestone for Antonelli. In a separate report, BBC Sport confirmed that the Mercedes driver had secured his first Formula 1 title, becoming the youngest world champion in the sport's history. The achievement came in only his second season, having joined Mercedes as Hamilton's replacement the previous year.

Antonelli's championship campaign included his first grand prix victory in the second race of the season. That began a sequence of five successive wins. His team-mate George Russell had finished ahead of him in their first season together, but Antonelli reversed that competitive picture during his title-winning campaign. Both Hamilton and Verstappen praised the new champion's achievement.

Antonelli said the difficult periods of his debut year had helped him develop and cope with pressure. He also acknowledged feeling tense during qualifying in Mexico as the championship approached its conclusion. After securing the title, he described becoming tearful on the final lap and credited his father's support throughout the season, both during successful spells and more difficult moments.