George Russell agrees with Lewis Hamilton over incident with ‘lawnmower’ Charles Leclerc at Mexican Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were united in their complaints after a chaotic start to the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday. Multiple drivers cut across the grass at the first corner.

Max Verstappen bailed out after locking up as he attempted an audacious move around the outside into turn one. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc cut turn two as he defended against Hamilton.

Leclerc chose not to yield the position and received no instruction to do so from Ferrari. Verstappen ended up fourth, though it’s unclear if he intended to let Hamilton through.

Hamilton repeatedly asked engineer Riccardo Adami whether any action was being taken, even accusing the cars involved of cheating. The stewards, who are typically more lenient when it comes to lap one, turn one, opted to stay out of it.

George Russell says ‘something needs to change’ at Mexican Grand Prix

Speaking to Sky Sports, Hamilton’s former Mercedes teammate George Russell echoed his complaints. He felt it was unfair that some drivers had a ‘get-out-of-jail-free card’.

He’s called for a change to the Mexican Grand Prix circuit ahead of next year’s event, specifically a gravel trap at turn one. Incidents like this have come to be expected after what is the longest run to turn one on the calendar.

Russell finished the race down in seventh, having been involved in an angry dispute with his team over their reluctance to let him drive past Kimi Antonelli.

• READ MORE: Max Verstappen addresses chaotic start at Mexican Grand Prix after incidents with Lewis Hamilton

“I don’t understand how three drivers can cut the first corner and just continue in the position they entered,” he said. “It’s like allowing you to risk everything and you just have a get-out-of-jail-free card if you get it wrong.

“Ultimately it’s down to the circuit, and there is this get-out-of-jail-free card. If there was gravel then nobody would be there.

“We’ve seen it almost every year we’ve been here. It was Carlos [Sainz] last year and Charles the year before or Lewis 10 years ago. It’s like a lawnmower race.

“Something needs to change there. That’s not really how it should be.”

George Russell’s verdict on Lewis Hamilton’s Mexico penalty

One could understand why Russell was frustrated given how his race panned out. Likewise, Hamilton saw a potential podium slip away as a 10-second penalty wrecked his afternoon.

The seven-time world champion was adjudged to have gained an advantage when he left the track at turn four under challenge from Verstappen and Russell.

While he sides with his compatriot on the turn-one scenes, Russell said Hamilton was ‘rightly’ penalised for what he did five laps later.

Many F1 fans were enraged by Hamilton’s penalty, with Verstappen escaping any sanctions for a collision moments earlier.

Hamilton said Verstappen pushed him wide, but the bump was ruled a racing incident.