Leclerc also blames circuit layout for incident. Vasseur disagrees: That is no excuse

The circuit near the Mexican capital has never been a crowd favourite. The thin air at this altitude is part of the problem. Whether a different layout would produce better racing is highly debatable, because cooling and a lack of downforce pose major challenges more than 2,000 metres above sea level, regardless of the shape of the corners. It must be said, though, that the challenge is the same for everyone.

The first two chicanes in Mexico are a recipe for controversy. We have certainly seen plenty of incidents here in recent years. On the one hand, the layout is no excuse for the drivers, but it is also true that journalists and podcasters compete to come up with alternative layouts every year during the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.

The shape of the first two chicanes and the poorly designed run-off areas – which give the impression that importing gravel is banned in Mexico – deliver controversy every year. Charles Leclerc also took advantage, and was not particularly apologetic about his actions on Sunday.

“We’ve been speaking about it all Thursday at the driver’s briefing trying to understand in which way should we take a decision with that. I think the conclusion of everyone is that we first need, probably, to change the tracks and make sure that there’s no places or tracks where you can take those amounts of risk on the inside,” said Leclerc.

“If there was, obviously, a wall at the exit of Turn 4, neither Lewis or I would have pushed the braking point that much. So I think there’s some things that we can improve track-wise in order to make it more simple because otherwise it’s very complicated,” added the Monegasque driver.

It is true that the FIA tried to address the issue. The subject was discussed in detail at a meeting with the drivers, and a strongly worded document was even issued, warning drivers against certain moves when battling in this part of the circuit.

Clearly, though, it was not enough. Admittedly, such behaviour would end in heavy crashes on a street circuit. But these are supposed to be the best drivers in the world, and piles of concrete and barriers cannot be the only solution. Leclerc’s boss Frédéric Vasseur echoed that view, acknowledging that it “would have been worse in Monaco”, but that was no justification.

“The layout of the track for sure, it’s not helping, because if you have a look the last couple of years we had this kind of issue but it can’t be an excuse at all,” the Ferrari boss stated firmly.

“Honestly I’m a bit frustrated because I think we did a proper step forward in terms of performance the last couple of events. “We were 1-2 at Turn 4. I don’t remember the last overtaking in Mexico, perhaps at the end of the ‘70s and when you are 1-2, Turn 4, you don’t imagine that you won’t win the race,” said a disappointed Vasseur.

“It’s a lot of frustration for me but I’m not the most important. I think it’s a lot of frustration for the 2,000 people working for the project – and this I will need time to digest,” Fred added.