Breaking: FIA Announces penalty Verdict on Lewis Hamilton’s Spanish GP following In…read more
FIA Announces penalty Verdict on Lewis Hamilton’s Spanish GP following In…read more
The FIA has officially announced its verdict following an investigation into Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying performance at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion, now racing for Ferrari, was among three drivers under scrutiny for potentially exceeding the maximum time limit between Safety Car lines during qualifying. Alongside Hamilton, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll were also investigated for allegedly breaching Article 33.4 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations and Article 12.2.1 i) of the FIA International Sporting Code.
Hamilton, who has enjoyed great success at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with six career victories, showed promise during Saturday’s qualifying. In his first Spanish Grand Prix outing for Ferrari, the 40-year-old managed to outqualify his team-mate Charles Leclerc for only the second time this season. Hamilton secured fifth on the grid, while Leclerc could only manage seventh, with rookie Kimi Antonelli, Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes, splitting the Ferrari drivers.
The controversy arose when the FIA suspected that the three drivers may have driven too slowly between the two Safety Car lines, a regulation designed to prevent impeding other competitors during qualifying. However, after a thorough review of onboard footage, CCTV, timing data, and positioning information, the stewards concluded that no penalties were necessary.
In its official statement, the FIA confirmed that all drivers involved stayed at or above the minimum speed necessary to remain within the 1:25.0 maximum time limit for most of the lap. More importantly, the stewards determined that each driver took reasonable actions to avoid obstructing others. They slowed down only in sections where it was necessary to let other cars pass and ensure a clean lap for their rivals. As a result, no further action was taken against Hamilton, Ocon, or Stroll.
This decision clears the path for Hamilton to retain his P5 starting position for Sunday’s race. The result was a much-needed boost for the British driver, who has had a challenging start to his Ferrari career. Prior to the Spanish GP, Hamilton had consistently trailed Leclerc in both qualifying and races, with his only highlight being a sprint race win in China. Despite the struggles adapting to Ferrari’s new machinery, Hamilton’s performance in Barcelona marked a notable step forward.
Speaking after qualifying, Hamilton expressed optimism about his improved form and the possibility of securing his first podium of the season. “Definitely an improvement from where we’ve been,” he said. “It’s really close between us all, so I’m going to try and get on the podium for once.”
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