Charles Leclerc had early on seized the lead. And Lewis Hamilton on pole eventually finished less than a second from victory. Yet Ferrari left Mexico without the winner’s trophy, after an afternoon that turned scarlet promise into frustration.
For Monaco’s ace, fourth place told only part of the story. Leclerc had been at the centre of the action from the opening corners, challenging his team-mate, taking a costly penalty and eventually defending his position against Lando Norris. Ahead, Max Verstappen held off Hamilton to win the 2026 Mexican Grand Prix, while third place delivered Kimi Antonelli his first world title.
Mexico had produced a race winner and a new world champion. Ferrari, meanwhile, had plenty to ponder.
Leclerc attacks and pays the price
With Hamilton on pole and Leclerc third on the grid, Ferrari began Sunday 1 November with a compelling opportunity. It took only the opening sequence of corners for its two drivers to become embroiled in a battle for supremacy.
Hamilton initially held the advantage, but Leclerc immediately went on the attack. The Monegasque crossed the grass during the exchange and emerged in front. The stewards judged that he had left the circuit and gained an advantage, imposing a five-second penalty.
Behind that contest, Verstappen was making his own decisive moves. Starting fifth, the Red Bull driver capitalised on the opening exchanges to put himself between the Ferraris, behind Leclerc and ahead of Hamilton.
Leclerc had track position, but a penalty hanging over his race. When he served it during his pit stop, Verstappen moved ahead. Ferrari’s early command had unravelled, leaving its drivers chasing a rival who needed little encouragement to take control.
A frightening interruption
The afternoon took a far more serious turn when Valtteri Bottas suffered a heavy crash in his Cadillac.
The red flag halted proceedings, bringing the sporting contest to a pause while attention turned to the Finnish driver. Bottas climbed out unaided and was later released from the medical centre, providing welcome reassurance after the alarming impact.
For the leaders, the interruption meant preparing for another standing start and another opportunity for the race to change.
Leclerc’s hopes suffered another setback when racing resumed. Hamilton passed him at the standing restart, and Antonelli overtook him for third on the following lap. A heavy lock-up into the opening corner had left the Monegasque struggling with tyre vibrations, adding to the difficulty of keeping Norris behind.
Hamilton takes the fight to Verstappen
Hamilton kept Ferrari’s victory hopes alive.
The seven-time champion pressured Verstappen, and a late Safety Car following Arvid Lindblad’s accident after contact with Oscar Piastri brought the field together once more. With eight laps remaining when racing resumed, the leader faced one final examination.
Verstappen held firm. Hamilton remained a threat, but the Red Bull crossed the line 0.799 seconds ahead of the Ferrari after 71 laps.
For Ferrari, second place was a substantial result accompanied by the frustration of having come so close.
Leclerc, meanwhile, resisted Norris’s late challenge to secure fourth. On an afternoon when his ambition had briefly carried him to the front, the Monegasque ultimately finished one place short of the podium. His race had offered aggression, a costly error and a determined defence, all compressed into a result that could scarcely convey the drama behind it.
Antonelli’s date with history
Amid the battles around him, Antonelli completed the most important drive of his career.
The Mercedes youngster had arrived knowing that ninth place would be enough to settle the championship, regardless of his rivals’ results. Starting fourth, he navigated the interruptions and finished third, securing the crown from the podium.
At 20 years and 68 days, he became Formula 1’s youngest world champion, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s record. He also ended Italy’s long wait for a successor to Alberto Ascari, the country’s previous champion in 1953. The emotion spilled over after the finish as the scale of his achievement sank in.
Verstappen had won a tense contest. Antonelli had secured his place in history. For Leclerc and Ferrari, Mexico offered a more complicated memory: the thrill of leading, the sting of a penalty and the sight of victory remaining tantalisingly within reach of the other scarlet car.
Monaco’s ace left with fourth place. Ferrari left knowing how much more had seemed possible.
