Lewis Hamilton spying 'number one spot' opportunity inside Ferrari - Brundle

Martin Brundle believes Lewis Hamilton is using the fallout from last weekend's Mexico City Grand Prix clash with Charles Leclerc to strengthen his position inside Ferrari.

Hamilton finished second in Mexico after Leclerc attempted a move around the outside of Turn 4, running wide and cutting across the grass before retaking the lead. The stewards handed Leclerc a five-second penalty rather than the standard ten, judging that both cars carried excessive speed into the corner. The sanction did not restore the lead to Hamilton, however. Max Verstappen inherited the win, with Hamilton classified second, 0.799s back, and Leclerc dropping to fourth.

Hamilton made his frustration clear over team radio during the race, and Brundle, speaking as a pundit, said the seven-time champion is now unfiltered about Ferrari's internal dynamics.

"He's at the stage of his career, life, where he's going to be unfiltered, and he was pretty unhappy with what happened," Brundle said.

"He said on the radio that they've given Charles the win today with just that five-second penalty, and it's definitely worth cutting a few corners, getting out front, you make a lot more than five seconds.

"But the big story is, it didn't give a Ferrari driver the win at all, it gave Max Verstappen the victory, as it happened.

"So it wasn't the smartest move in Charles's career and life, trying to go around the outside of Turn 4 there. That was a 75-25 move against your teammate. It just wasn't a smart move.

"Lewis is upset. He's realised there's a chance to actually make a bit of ground on this because that was a bit silly.

"But you know, I was thinking about this in the week. When I first was in Formula 1, I think we had 40 people in the team. Now there are 2000 people in the team.

"You've got the situation where they say you're representing 2,000 people, and it's true, but you're in Formula 1 as an individual sports person. You're measured as an individual sports person in a team environment, and now that team's 2,000 people, it's almost becoming impossible."

Drawing on what has unfolded inside McLaren in recent seasons, Brundle added: "I think we saw the same with Lando and Oscar.

"Where do you stand as a driver? I think this is a new challenge of, where do I really stand here? You can't just keep criticising me for racing for myself just because I'm in a team. It actually doesn't work, does it? If you think about it."

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Brundle - 'I stand by what Lewis said'

Brundle drew a parallel with Hamilton's combustible years alongside Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, where incidents at Monaco and Spa in 2014 forced the team to draw up formal rules of engagement.

"I seem to remember him and Nico running into each other quite dramatically on a few occasions, having quite a spat. It's inevitable," Brundle said.

Before then turning again towards a possible end-game for Hamilton, and comments that will have been picked up by Ferrari chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna.

"I stand by what he said," remarked Brundle. "I think Lewis has realised there's a really good platform to carve himself out more of a number one spot there, more clout in that situation. He's not going to let that go.

"And that comment when he got out of the car during the red flag of 'We've got big problems here! Big problems!' That wasn't to anybody around in Mexico. That was to some people in Italy."