FIA announce Lewis Hamilton penalty verdict after Sp...

FIA announce Lewis Hamilton penalty verdict after Sp….read more

The FIA has released its official verdict concerning Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton following an investigation into his qualifying session at the Spanish Grand Prix. Hamilton, who joined Ferrari this season after a long and successful tenure with Mercedes, took to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Saturday, a track where he’s previously claimed six victories throughout his illustrious Formula 1 career.

During qualifying, Hamilton managed to secure fifth position on the grid, outperforming his team-mate Charles Leclerc, who will start from seventh. The performance marked just the second time in the 2025 season that Hamilton has outqualified Leclerc in the first nine races since the pair became teammates.

However, the post-qualifying session was overshadowed by an investigation launched by F1’s governing body. Hamilton, along with Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll, was alleged to have violated Article 33.4 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, which refers to the maximum lap time of 1:25.0 between the two Safety Car lines during qualifying. The issue falls under a broader rule that aims to ensure drivers don’t excessively slow down and potentially impede others during flying laps.

The FIA examined various data sources, including timing systems, marshalling data, CCTV footage, and onboard camera views, to determine whether the drivers had indeed breached the regulations. After thorough review, the stewards concluded that while the three drivers may have been on the edge of the time limits in parts of the track, they took proper actions to avoid affecting other competitors.

An official statement from the FIA clarified the outcome: “All drivers concerned stayed at or above speeds necessary to stay below 1:25.0 around the vast majority of the circuit. However, in all cases, the stewards determined that the drivers took appropriate actions to not impede other drivers, and in all cases, they slowed down significantly to allow other drivers to pass while giving those drivers a clear track.”

As a result, no penalties were issued, allowing Hamilton to retain his P5 starting position for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

The British racing legend expressed optimism ahead of the race in Barcelona, noting the improvement in his performance. “Definitely an improvement from where we’ve been, definitely an improvement I would say from my qualifying side,” Hamilton told reporters.

Despite a challenging start to his Ferrari tenure, including a season where Leclerc has largely had the upper hand, Hamilton seemed upbeat about his chances in the race. He admitted that securing a podium finish was at the forefront of his mind and acknowledged the tight competition among the top teams. “It’s going to be close. It’s really close between us all, so I’m going to try and get on the podium for once,” he added.

With his only notable result so far being a sprint race win in China, Hamilton will be looking to capitalize on his strong qualifying and deliver a standout performance in Spain, potentially marking a turning point in his debut sea

son with Ferrari.