BREAKING: FIA Announces Lewis Hamilton Penalty Verdict After Australian Grand Prix Incident….read more
FIA Announces Lewis Hamilton Penalty Verdict After Australian Grand Prix Incident
The FIA has reached a verdict regarding Lewis Hamilton’s incident during the 2025 Australian Grand Prix. After conducting an investigation, no penalties were issued to the seven-time world champion, despite being noted by the stewards for a potential rule infringement.
The Australian Grand Prix, which marked the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season, was a chaotic affair. The race took place in changeable, wet weather conditions, making it a tough test for both rookie and experienced drivers alike. The constantly shifting conditions on the track led to several incidents and accidents, with drivers struggling to maintain control of their cars on the slick surface.
Several drivers, including Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan, Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Liam Lawson, were involved in accidents throughout the race, resulting in their early retirements. These crashes added to the growing tension and drama of the opening race. McLaren also faced challenges due to the weather conditions. As the track became progressively wetter toward the latter stages of the race, both McLaren drivers saw a significant drop in their positions.
Oscar Piastri, who was racing in his home Grand Prix, tumbled out of the top 10 due to the difficult conditions. However, the Australian managed to stage a late recovery and eventually finished the race in P9, securing two valuable points for McLaren. His teammate, Lando Norris, had a much more successful race. Despite the challenging conditions, Norris managed to retake the lead in the closing laps and ultimately secured victory at the Australian Grand Prix, starting the season in the best way possible for McLaren.
For Lewis Hamilton, who was making his highly anticipated debut with Ferrari, the race did not go as planned. The rain began to fall at Albert Park just as Hamilton was looking to improve his position, but the adverse conditions caused him to slip down the order. At one point, Hamilton found himself at the tail end of the top 10, along with his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc.
In the end, Hamilton finished the race in P10 after a late battle with Piastri. The Australian driver made a daring move around the outside at Turn 9 to snatch ninth place from Hamilton. Although Hamilton was able to hold on to a single point for Ferrari, it was a disappointing result for the champion, considering the high expectations surrounding his debut with the Scuderia.
However, Hamilton’s race could have been worse. Early in the Grand Prix, a safety car was deployed after incidents on the opening lap. During the safety car period, the stewards noted that Hamilton, along with Fernando Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson, had failed to maintain the mandatory 10-car-length distance behind the safety car. The rule is intended to ensure that drivers remain close enough to the car in front, minimizing the potential for dangerous gaps during restarts.
All four drivers were summoned by the stewards for further investigation. While this type of infringement can often result in time penalties, the FIA decided not to penalize any of the drivers involved. In an official statement, the FIA explained their decision. “The stewards reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, and in-car video evidence,” the statement read.
“Although the gap to the previous car exceeded the 10-car lengths prescribed in the regulations, the stewards considered the weather conditions and also that the correct gap was restored well prior to the restart, as mitigating circumstances in this case. Hence no penalty is applied.”
In summary, despite a challenging race and being under scrutiny by the stewards for a potential rule breach, Hamilton escaped any further consequences. While his first race for Ferrari did not deliver the results he or his team had hoped for, the decision to avoid a penalty ensured that he walked away with at least one point and avoided an even more disappointing debut.
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