Late FIA Penalty Drops Lewis Hamilton on Spanish...read more

Late FIA Penalty Drops Lewis Hamilton on Spanish GP Grid to p…read more

Lewis Hamilton has been handed a late grid penalty ahead of the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, pushing him down to 8th place on the starting grid. Originally set to start from P5, the Ferrari driver was hit with a three-place penalty following a post-qualifying investigation by the FIA.

The penalty was issued after stewards found Hamilton had impeded Esteban Ocon during Q2. Despite warnings from the Ferrari pit wall, Hamilton remained on the racing line during Ocon’s flying lap, leading to what the FIA called “avoidable interference.”

The FIA’s statement noted:
“Car 44 failed to adequately yield to Car 31 during a timed lap, causing obstruction. A three-place grid penalty is therefore warranted.”

Ferrari team boss Frédéric Vasseur acknowledged the setback but said the team would adapt: “We disagree with the timing, but respect the decision. Lewis is motivated and we’ll push to recover positions in the race.”

The penalty shuffles the order behind the front-runners. Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s teammate, moves up to 6th, with Fernando Alonso promoted to 7th. Hamilton will now face a tougher task navigating through the midfield on a track known for limited overtaking opportunities.

Revised Top 10 Starting Grid: