Axed FIA steward calls out Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc for 'abusing' F1 rules in Mexico GP

Former FIA steward Johnny Herbert has called out drivers like Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc for 'abusing' F1 rules by cutting corners at the Mexico GP. The opening lap of the 71-lap race saw chaos unfold at Turn 1.

Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and Max Verstappen went four-wide into the right-hander - in that order from the inside line to the outside. Norris and Hamilton made the turn, while the other two went onto the grass.

Verstappen was squeezed onto the kerb on the final part of the main straight, and as his RB21 bottomed out, he was forced to go straight into the grass. When he came out of the grassy patch in Turn 3, he was running in third, up one position.

Leclerc's situation wasn't the same. The Monegasque nearly made the turn, but went slightly wide with two drivers on his inside. He could've resumed in P3 behind Ferrari teammate Hamilton, but chose to cut through the grass and emerged in the race lead, up two positions. While Max Verstappen gave a position back to Hamilton and returned to P4, Leclerc only gave one of two positions back. He continued running in P2 behind pole-sitter Norris.

Johnny Herbert, a former F1 race steward who was axed by the FIA before the 2025 season because his duties as a steward and a media pundit were "incompatible," weighed in on the situation.

"When Max tried to go around the outside and was sort of running out of room, he got on the track without losing anything," said Herbert (via Crash.net). "Then we saw a Charles cut across, and he didn't lose anything; he gained. He was level with Lewis, but he ended up being in front of Max. So he was second, and he didn't get a penalty for it.

The F1 stewards usually don't judge Turn 1, lap 1, incidents as seriously as offences during other moments in a race, because the tires are cold and a certain degree of chaos is expected on the opening lap. Herbert highlighted how this needs to change after multiple drivers, including Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, seemingly took advantage of it at the Mexico GP.

"That's the difference with the first lap. It's generally seen that we won't do anything on the first lap because it's difficult. My problem is, and as I read what happened going into turn one, they all abused it, knowing there's not going to be any repercussion. They all know the first lap is almost a free-for-all. I don't think it should be allowed to be a free-for-all, because it's part of the race," the former F1 driver added.

Herbert gives a clear verdict on Lewis Hamilton's 10-second penalty for Max Verstappen incident

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battle at the F1 Mexico Grand Prix - Source: Getty

While the stewards didn't penalize Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc for cutting corners on lap 1 in Mexico, they gave Lewis Hamilton a 10-second penalty for a similar incident. On lap 6, the seven-time F1 champion was battling with Verstappen for P3.

The Red Bull driver made a late lunge into Turn 1 for P3 and bumped wheels with his Ferrari rival. The two stayed on course side-by-side going into Turn 2. The gap narrowed between Turns 2 and 3, and Max Verstappen, who was on the outside, cut through the corner to emerge ahead in P3.

On the straight between Turns 3 and 4, Lewis Hamilton gained ground. Unfortunately, his left front tire locked up, and he went into the grass. Consequently, he came out ahead of Verstappen after Turn 5, but didn't return the position, which led to the standard 10-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

It caused a controversy among fans on social media, and Hamilton was upset with the penalty. Johnny Herbert gave his take on the penalty, saying:

"If Lewis had just slowed up and let Max get right off his backside, I don't think he would have got a penalty. People were saying the 10-second penalty was too harsh. But ten-second penalties should be across the board whenever it may be. Is that harsh in some circumstances? Yes. Was it harsh on Lewis? Yes. But you can’t say, 'We’ll just give him a five-second.' No, you can't do that."

Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen finished on the podium behind race winner Lando Norris, while Lewis Hamilton secured a lowly P8. After the race, the seven-time champion called out the FIA for its "double standards" regarding its judging of the corner-cutting incidents.