Journalist reveals what he saw in Ferrari hospitality after Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton incident
A journalist who was present in Ferrari's hospitality at the Mexico City Grand Prix has revealed what he saw following the incident between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on lap one.
Hamilton was ahead of Leclerc going into turn four when the Monegasque driver left the track and gained an advantage after carrying too much speed into the corner.
Leclerc did not give back the position to Hamilton and took over the race lead, with Hamilton - who also left the track but rejoined in the correct manner - dropping behind Max Verstappen.
The seven-time world champion criticised the FIA's decision to only give Leclerc a five-second penalty rather than the standard 10-second punishment, with race stewards citing mitigating factors - Hamilton leaving the track - as the reason behind their decision. During the red flag period, Hamilton told his race engineer Carlo Santi that Ferrari had 'big problems' over the incident, and now more details have emerged about what went on behind-the-scenes.
Journalist reveals new information on Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc incident
Journalist Edd Straw, speaking on The Race's YouTube channel, stated that he attended Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur's media briefing in the team's hospitality building after the Mexico City Grand Prix - at which point Leclerc walked in.
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"He's [Vasseur] not going to talk to them like naughty school children. He's not going to take that approach," Straw said. "But I am convinced he will be forceful. He knows how to do it.
"Funnily enough, as we were coming out of the room in the back of the Ferrari hospitality, the little group of us, Charles Leclerc arrived. Face like thunder, I think it's fair to say. He didn't look very happy. Marched into the drivers' room at the back, and Fred went in after him. So that's where the conversations began.
"And around about the same time, the press conference was starting where Lewis Hamilton was continuing to presumably take what he thought was his very strong position."
What Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton have said about Mexico GP incident
In his post-race interview, Leclerc accepted that he deserved a five-second penalty 'in a way', but stopped short of admitting complete fault for the incident with Hamilton.
"The thing is that it was a bit confusing because we both didn't make Turn 4," he said. "Then I stayed ahead, and then Max got past Lewis. So yeah, then I asked what should I do? And I kept the position and took a deserved penalty."
Hamilton, meanwhile, said he would take his frustrations with Ferrari and Leclerc 'offline', but admitted he was unhappy with the team losing out on what could have been a one-two finish had it not been for Leclerc's move at turn four.
"I'm happy because this guy [Antonelli] just won the championship," he said in the post-race podium press conference. "So I'm really torn because, on one side, I'm happy and, on the other side, I'm really p---ed.
"We lost valuable points. We, as a team, worked so hard. We could have easily had a one-two today. We had the pace to do so.
"So we're going into turn four, first and second. If we just held position, I think anything can happen in the race, but when your team-mate works against you, and then you lose positions like that, it's definitely tough.
READ MORE: Every word of Lewis Hamilton's extraordinary press conference after Mexico GP
"I think the core thing to remember, which maybe comes with age, is that every decision you make in the car impacts all the people who work in the background - the whole team. Working as a team is part of our job and part of our contract. We have to work as a team, which we could have easily done today.
"So it's a shame to see us lose as we did, and that will just continue unless action is taken and a real, deep, serious conversation is had so it shouldn't happen moving forward."
Topics: Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1
Ryan Smart
