Overview
- Lewis Hamilton criticized a lack of clarity after receiving a 10-second penalty in Mexico for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, dropping him to eighth from a likely podium position.
- Multiple drivers cut the Turn 1–3 complex on lap one, including Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, without penalties; Leclerc surrendered the lead to Lando Norris but stayed ahead of Hamilton.
- Hamilton warned that opaque calls can shape careers and decide championships, referencing the 2021 Abu Dhabi title decider to underscore the stakes.
- The FIA has not issued detailed explanations, consistent with its stance that race stewards operate independently and their decisions are not commented on publicly.
- George Russell called the lack of corner-cutting penalties extremely unfair for Hamilton and urged changes to Mexico’s first-corner layout, while Fernando Alonso also pressed for deterrents or redesigns.