Hamilton refuses to back down after Mexico GP clash with Leclerc

Ferrari's dispute began on the opening lap of the Mexico City Grand Prix on November 1. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc collided, with Leclerc receiving a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, according to Sydney Morning Herald.

Hamilton had taken his first pole position in 1,197 days, The42 reported. Leclerc started third, according to Motorsport, and cut a chicane during the opening lap, the BBC reported.

The result sharpened the argument over what Ferrari had lost. La Repubblica reported that Verstappen won and Hamilton finished second. Leclerc finished fourth, according to Rss. Hamilton said Ferrari could have secured a one-two finish, ANSA.it reported.

On November 1, Hamilton called for Ferrari to have "serious talks behind closed doors", according to the BBC. He also described Leclerc's driving as "a mentality thing", Sky Sports reported, turning the argument from one manoeuvre into a broader criticism of his teammate's approach.

Leclerc acknowledged that he deserved the penalty and said he had wanted to give the position back to Hamilton. But he did not accept sole responsibility for the incident, according to Rss.

By November 2, the criticism extended beyond the drivers. Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur was angry with both Hamilton and Leclerc after the missed victory, nu.nl reported. A November 3 report from Sky Sports said team principal Frederic Vasseur had suggested there was insufficient "respect".

On November 4, Sky Sports reported that its F1 analyst Bernie Collins had suggested introducing repercussions for such incidents. The following day, GPblog reported that Nico Rosberg was also calling on Ferrari to act and establish rules for its drivers' racing against each other.

Hamilton had not softened his position by November 5. Guardian Sport reported that he refused to back down, while nu.nl reported that Vasseur wanted to meet both drivers on Friday.

As of November 6, Hamilton remained frustrated and said more discussions were needed within Ferrari, according to Japan Times. The dispute had carried into preparations for the Brazilian Grand Prix rather than ending with the Mexico result.

Hamilton's latest criticism goes beyond the opening-lap collision. He argued that Leclerc is more aggressive against his teammates than against other drivers, L'Équipe reported. That remains Hamilton's assessment, while Leclerc's account acknowledges the penalty but rejects sole blame.

The immediate next step is the Friday meeting Vasseur planned with both drivers, according to nu.nl. The pending issue is whether Ferrari can agree on how Hamilton and Leclerc should race each other before another on-track dispute.

Calls for explicit rules and repercussions have come from outside the team, including those reported by GPblog and Sky Sports. The supplied coverage does not establish that Ferrari has adopted either measure.