Kieran is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs and feature content across the F1 calendar. An NQJ-qualified journalist with more than a decade of experience, he has previously written for publications including MailOnline, the Manchester Evening News and the Eastern Daily Press.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has rejected Charles Leclerc's argument that the layout of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez caused his lap-one clash with Lewis Hamilton at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Vasseur watched on as Ferrari lost out on a potential 1-2 after Leclerc's failed challenge around the outside of Hamilton at Turn 4. Both drivers ran wide and Max Verstappen capitalised to take the victory.
The Ferrari team principal accused both drivers of a 'lack of respect' after the potential 1-2 turned into a P2 finish for Hamilton and P4 with Leclerc. The Ferrari team principal admitted the circuit does not help, but has disagreed with Leclerc, insisting it can't be used an excuse for what happened.
Vasseur told the media: "The layout of the track is 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. 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."
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Photo: Race Pictures
Leclerc wants a track without grey areas
Vasseur's comments come after Leclerc questioned the layout of the track, after he received a five second penalty for cutting the corner when attempting to overtake Hamilton.
"If there was obviously a wall between... At the exit of Turn 4, neither Lewis or I will have pushed the breaking point that much. 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."
Leclerc also insisted that neither driver was solely responsible for the incident. He said: "We are fighting for the win, and so, of course, there's going to be very little margin left from him and from me. At the end, we both did a mistake going into turn four. It's not like we had contact or whatsoever. We both went straight."
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