BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton DEMOTED as post-race FIA penalty issued at Singapore GP… Read more
Lewis Hamilton Demoted After Receiving Post-Race FIA Penalty at Singapore Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton’s weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix ended in frustration after the FIA announced that the Ferrari driver had been handed a post-race time penalty, which cost him a finishing position in the final classification. Despite producing moments of brilliance during the race, the seven-time world champion’s efforts were undone by a breach of the track limit regulations.
Hamilton, who initially crossed the finish line in seventh place, delivered a strong drive that included setting the fastest lap of the race on soft tyres. The 40-year-old Briton had been closing in on young Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, demonstrating impressive pace in the closing stages. However, his push was curtailed by a late-race brake issue that ultimately compromised his ability to maintain track discipline.
Throughout the Grand Prix, Hamilton appeared to have the upper hand on his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, showing greater control and confidence in the SF-25 under the Marina Bay floodlights. Yet, despite his efforts, Hamilton was forced to settle behind Leclerc as the pair completed another mixed weekend for Ferrari — a team still searching for consistency in their performances this season.
The drama intensified on the final lap when Hamilton, battling deteriorating brakes, managed to fend off Fernando Alonso, beating the Aston Martin veteran by just four tenths of a second. This was despite the fact that Hamilton had held a comfortable 30-second lead over the Spaniard earlier in the race. It was clear from his radio messages and on-track behaviour that the Ferrari driver was struggling to manage his car’s braking system, forcing him to take wider entries into several corners to compensate.
However, Hamilton’s defensive manoeuvres soon caught the attention of race control. The stewards noted multiple instances of track limit violations, with the Briton being shown the black and white warning flag for repeated offences. During the final stages of the race, Hamilton once again exceeded the limits of the circuit — a move which triggered a formal post-race investigation.
After being summoned to explain the incidents, Hamilton told the stewards that he had gone off track on several occasions due to the worsening brake problem, which he was nursing to the finish. Despite his explanation, the stewards ruled that mechanical difficulties did not constitute a valid justification for breaching track limits. The decision meant Hamilton was handed a five-second time penalty, applied after the chequered flag.
This penalty had immediate consequences for the race result. Hamilton, who had finished less than half a second ahead of Alonso, dropped behind the Spaniard in the final standings once the penalty was enforced. The Aston Martin driver, who had been audibly frustrated during the race, voiced his anger over the radio upon witnessing Hamilton’s repeated excursions beyond the white lines.
An emotional Alonso could be heard shouting: “Oh fing hell man! I cannot fing believe it! I cannot f***ing believe it!” as he reacted to Hamilton’s off-track moments. His frustration was later vindicated when the stewards confirmed the sanction against the Ferrari driver.
In total, four of Hamilton’s lap times were deleted for exceeding track limits — all occurring within the final phase of the race. The breaches were recorded at Turns 2, 5, and 16, with the decisive incident taking place at Turn 17, which ultimately sealed his demotion.
While the penalty did not drastically alter Hamilton’s points haul, it represented a disappointing end to what had been an otherwise resilient drive. For Ferrari, it was another reminder of how small mistakes and reliability gremlins can undermine a strong race strategy. Hamilton’s pace had shown glimpses of Ferrari’s potential, but the outcome served as a stark reminder that even champions are not immune to the unforgiving rules of modern Formula 1.
As the paddock packs up from Singapore, Hamilton will no doubt be eager to move on from this setback and refocus on the next race, determined to convert his speed into a clean and penalty-free result. For now, however, his demotion serves as the latest twist in a dramatic and unpredicVtable 2025 F1 season.
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