Ferrari impressed once again at the Mexican Grand Prix, showcasing both speed and precision throughout the weekend. Charles Leclerc led the charge with a strong second-place finish — marking his seventh podium of the season — while the team’s overall performance, from car setup to race execution, highlighted clear progress from Maranello.

Leclerc’s result lifted Ferrari back into second place in the Constructors’ Championship, edging one point ahead of Mercedes with just four races remaining. Meanwhile, young talent Oliver Bearman produced a sensational drive for Haas, finishing fourth and claiming the best result of his Formula 1 career — another promising sign for Ferrari’s Driver Academy.

Leclerc: “No Regrets, Just Pride”

Leclerc could hardly hide his satisfaction after securing his 50th career podium with Ferrari.

“I’m happy,” said the Monegasque driver. “I think McLaren were on another planet today, and Red Bull were also faster than us, yet we still managed to finish ahead of Max. Maybe the Virtual Safety Car helped us a bit, but I’m very proud of what the team has achieved in the last two races. We have no regrets — we just need to keep going like this until the end of the season.”

Leclerc’s SF-25 appeared well-balanced throughout the race, managing tyre wear efficiently enough to complete the Grand Prix with just a single pit stop.

“It was part of the plan,” team principal Frédéric Vasseur confirmed. “It’s just a shame we couldn’t do the same with Lewis [Hamilton].”

Hamilton Penalized After Clash with Verstappen

For Hamilton, the Mexican Grand Prix proved far more challenging. The seven-time world champion was handed a ten-second penalty for failing to follow the stewards’ rejoining instructions after a close early battle with Max Verstappen through Turn 3.

“It was a really harsh decision,” said Vasseur. “Those ten seconds cost us four or five positions. It was an enormous penalty for us.”

The start also sparked internal debate at Ferrari, as both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz came perilously close to contact while trying to attack race leader Lando Norris.

“It’s impossible to discuss every scenario beforehand,” Vasseur noted. “Charles didn’t get the best start and had to tuck in behind Lando. Overall, both our drivers did their job.”

Leclerc added his perspective: “I had no space at all. I think Lewis didn’t realize Max was right next to us — and Max probably didn’t know we were there either. I just braked late to stay out of trouble. I cut the corner and gave the position back to Norris.”

Verstappen Recovers After Wild Start

Max Verstappen, who endured a chaotic first lap, offered his own take on the Turn 1 drama.

“There was definitely a lot of action,” said the Dutchman. “I went wide and braked late, so I ended up on the grass.”

After struggling in the opening stint, Verstappen switched to soft tyres and mounted a strong recovery, closing in on Leclerc near the end.

“Our strategy worked well,” he said. “The problem was the first stint, when we had no grip. Once we went onto the softs, everything improved. We were fast in the end — just not enough to beat the McLaren.”

Bearman’s Breakthrough: “An Incredible Result”

Just behind Verstappen, Oliver Bearman stole the spotlight with a brilliant drive to fourth place for Haas.

“I’m over the moon,” said the 19-year-old Briton. “I was even voted Driver of the Day! Near the end, there was a McLaren behind me, but I managed to stay ahead. It’s an incredible result for the team. I was a bit unsure during the second stop, but the strategy worked perfectly.”

Vasseur was full of praise for the Ferrari junior: “He did an exceptional job — not a single mistake all weekend, flawless from start to finish.”

Bearman’s father, visibly emotional in the Haas garage, added: “Ollie keeps amazing me. I have no words left for what he’s doing.”

Ferrari’s Focus: Silver Lining and Second Place

With Leclerc’s podium and Bearman’s standout performance, Ferrari leaves Mexico with renewed optimism. The Scuderia’s second-place finish brings valuable momentum as the season enters its final stretch — and with the gap to Mercedes now reversed, the fight for the runner-up spot in the Constructors’ Championship is very much alive.

If Ferrari can continue at this level of consistency and execution, the closing rounds promise to be a thrilling battle not only for race wins — but for pride, progress, and the future stars of Maranello.

Photo Credit: Scuderia Ferrari