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Charles Leclerc’s controversial Mexico GP penalty explained

Formula 1 officials have clarified why Charles Leclerc received a reduced five-second sanction following an opening-lap incident at the Mexico City Grand Prix. During the early stages of the event at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Leclerc cut the circuit and bypassed teammate Lewis Hamilton while battling for the lead.

Although standard guidelines suggest a ten-second punishment for such infractions, regulators reduced the measure due to mitigating circumstances involving excessive entry speeds that forced both competitors wide off the racing surface. The ruling sparked criticism from Max Verstappen, who expressed surprise at the leniency, while Hamilton also questioned the decision after comparing it to a harsher penalty he received during the previous year's race.

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