Ferrari’s hopes for a one-two finish in Mexico faded after Charles Leclerc was held up by lapped cars in the final stages of the race.

With just over 15 laps left, Leclerc had a three-second lead over Lando Norris and seemed set for second place behind teammate Carlos Sainz.

But as Leclerc started lapping slower cars—Lance Stroll, Liam Lawson, and Franco Colapinto—his lead quickly shrank. Getting through the traffic cost Leclerc time and allowed Norris to catch up.

Just a few laps later, Leclerc’s car slid at the final corner, and Norris took advantage, passing him for second place and spoiling Ferrari’s one-two.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur blamed the backmarkers for ignoring blue flags, which he said cost Leclerc crucial time.

“[Leclerc] lost three or four seconds into the traffic with some idiots,” Vasseur told Sky Sports F1.

“Norris came back, Charles pushed a bit too much. Perhaps he lost also a little bit of temperature in the tyres when he was with these guys.

"Honestly, they have to respect the blue flag and I don't understand why the FIA didn't give them a penalty. We had four seconds on Norris. And after the three guys, we were 1.2 or 1.3 ahead.

“When you do five corners when the guy has a solid blue, it’s not unfortunate. It’s a mistake of the guy.

“I’m a bit upset with the story with the blue flag, it cost us P2. But at the end of the day, it is like it is, but we have to be focused now on the next one and forget this one.”

Thanks to Carlos Sainz’s Mexican Grand Prix victory and Charles Leclerc’s third place, Ferrari got ahead of Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship, sitting now just 29 points behind leading McLaren.