FIA issue EMBARRASSING Hamilton penalty after Qatar Grand Prix

FIA issue EMBARRASSING Hamilton penalty after Qatar Grand Prix shambles…….read more

The FIA has handed Lewis Hamilton a penalty following a bizarre incident at the Qatar Grand Prix, creating an embarrassing start to his penultimate race with Mercedes. The governing body initially launched an investigation into Hamilton after his car appeared to make a false start before the race even began. The investigation resulted in a five-second penalty for the 39-year-old driver due to the rookie mistake.

This penalty came as a blow to Hamilton, who will soon be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025. The incident in Qatar marked a poor start to what should have been an important race for Hamilton, especially with just two more races left with the Silver Arrows. Before the race even got underway, his car unexpectedly jolted forward in the pit box. Hamilton quickly apologized to his team over the radio, saying, “Sorry about that guys,” as he acknowledged the error.

Mercedes had been hoping for a strong performance after their successful outing in Las Vegas, where they secured a 1-2 finish. Team principal Toto Wolff, in particular, likely had high hopes for Hamilton and his teammate George Russell to perform well in their remaining races together. Russell had an impressive qualifying session in Qatar, starting from pole position after Max Verstappen was handed a surprising grid penalty, which promoted Russell to the front row. This set the stage for Mercedes to potentially finish the season on a high note.

However, the race quickly unraveled for Mercedes. Hamilton, after the false start, lost ground early on and struggled to recover. The penalty only added to the frustration, and things went from bad to worse for the team. Despite Russell starting from pole, he too faced difficulties throughout the race. Hamilton’s embarrassing slip-up and subsequent penalty were far from what either he or the team had hoped for in what could be one of their final appearances together.

With Hamilton set to leave Mercedes for Ferrari next year, the Qatar Grand Prix served as a reminder of the challenges that still lay ahead for both him and his current team. Despite the strong performance in Las Vegas, the shambles of the Qatar race was a bitter reminder of the difficulties Mercedes has faced in their transition to the final races of the season. For Hamilton, it was a disappointing start to his farewell tour with Mercedes, leaving both the driver and the team eager to recover in the final races of the year.