'The Safety Car Saved Me!': Ferrari's Leclerc Relishes Podium After Verstappen Battle At Mexico GP

Last Updated:October 27, 2025, 17:12 IST

Charles Leclerc secured second at the Mexico City Grand Prix, aided by a late Safety Car, while Lewis Hamilton finished eighth after a penalty and Max Verstappen claimed third.

Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen after the Mexico GP (X)

Charles Leclerc breathed a huge sigh of relief after clinching his seventh podium of the season at the Mexico City Grand Prix, admitting that a late Safety Car was the only thing keeping him in second place.

“I’m very happy with this weekend and happy to be on this amazing podium again," Leclerc said.

“But I was also very happy to see the Safety Car at the end. My tyres were completely gone and Max was coming back on the softer tyre. It was tough, but the Safety Car saved me. It was the most stressful part of the race."

‘Chaos’ at the Start

The Ferrari driver described the opening laps as “chaos", after contact involving Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen nearly ended his race on the spot.

“There was Lewis on the inside — I don’t think he expected that — and Max on the outside, a little bit of contact. I had to go straight. It was stressful; I thought the race would end there for me and Lewis. But Lewis wanted to take his shot, and I’d have done exactly the same. Completely normal."

Hamilton Penalised, Verstappen Philosophical

Seven-time world champion Hamilton, who started third, finished a distant eighth after receiving a 10-second penalty for gaining an advantage off-track.

“It was fun at the start, and then it didn’t end the way I hoped — but that’s motor racing," Hamilton shrugged. “At least I got some points."

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen took third place in stride after a late Virtual Safety Car denied him a chance to chase down Leclerc.

“It was very hectic at the start," said Verstappen. “I almost crashed over the grass, but survived. Everyone around me was on softs while I was on mediums, so it was about survival in the first stint.

“Once we bolted on the softs, we were more competitive… The Safety Car? You win some, you lose some."

(with AFP inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

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News sports 'The Safety Car Saved Me!': Ferrari's Leclerc Relishes Podium After Verstappen Battle At Mexico GP

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