Breaking:FIA Clears Lewis Hamilton of Penalty After Saudi GP Practice Incident with…read more
Breaking:FIA Clears Lewis Hamilton of Penalty After Saudi GP Practice Incident with…read more
The FIA has officially cleared Lewis Hamilton of any wrongdoing following an investigation into a controversial incident during Free Practice 2 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The seven-time World Champion was accused of impeding Williams driver Alex Albon during a hot lap at Turn 17 of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit — a moment that Albon described over team radio as “dangerous” and “unacceptable.”
During the session, Hamilton was seen moving slowly on the racing line as Albon approached at speed. The Williams driver was forced to take sudden evasive action, voicing his frustration with strong language over the radio. The stewards launched an immediate investigation into the incident, reviewing footage and telemetry data while also summoning both drivers for interviews.
After a detailed examination, Formula 1’s governing body determined that while Hamilton did unnecessarily impede Albon, the incident did not meet the threshold for a penalty. In their official statement, the stewards acknowledged that the Ferrari driver had been in Albon’s line, but also noted that Albon maintained control and there was no imminent danger of a collision. Albon himself later confirmed that while he was startled by Hamilton’s positioning, he had the situation under control and did not believe an actual accident was likely.
“The driver of Car 23 [Albon] confirmed he had seen Car 7 [Hamilton] ahead earlier and was surprised by its presence at Turn 17,” read part of the FIA’s explanation. “However, he was able to take avoiding action without significant impact on his lap, and there was no danger posed.”
The verdict means Hamilton will not face a grid drop or any disciplinary action ahead of the race weekend. It’s a much-needed reprieve for the British driver, who has faced a tough start to his first season with Ferrari. After four rounds, Hamilton has scored only 25 points and sits seventh in the Drivers’ Championship, trailing his teammate Charles Leclerc, who has been more consistent in the opening phase of the 2025 campaign.
Earlier in the day, Hamilton had already been the subject of another track spat, with former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz expressing frustration over Hamilton’s track behavior during another moment in practice. The Spaniard, who lost his Ferrari seat to Hamilton, appeared irritated by the Brit’s approach to letting cars through during out-laps.
Despite the off-track distractions and on-track challenges, Hamilton remains focused on turning his season around. The high-speed and unforgiving layout of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit presents both a challenge and an opportunity, as he looks to deliver a strong performance and begin climbing the championship standings.
