Just in: FIA Announces Final Verdict on Hamilton Verstappen Monaco I…read more
FIA Announces Final Verdict on Hamilton-Verstappen Monaco Incident: No Penalty for Either Driver
The FIA has officially announced that no penalties will be handed out to Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton following their close-call incident during qualifying at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix. After a thorough investigation, the stewards concluded that neither driver was predominantly to blame for the near-miss that caught the attention of fans and commentators alike.
The incident occurred during a heated session on the tight Monte Carlo circuit, where Hamilton and Verstappen came dangerously close to a collision while jostling for track position during their out-laps. The narrow street circuit has long been a pressure cooker for qualifying drama, and this latest moment reignited the rivalry between the two multiple-time world champions.
According to a statement from the FIA, “The stewards reviewed all available evidence including telemetry, onboard footage, and team radio communications. It was determined that while the situation was tense and could have escalated, it did not warrant any further action under current sporting regulations.”
Following the session, both drivers met behind closed doors in the Mercedes and Red Bull hospitality areas. Verstappen, speaking to media after the race, revealed that he and Hamilton discussed the incident calmly and that he did not place blame on the British driver. “We had a quick chat, and I don’t think there’s anything more to it. These things happen sometimes in qualifying when everyone’s pushing.”
This decision marks another instance where the FIA has chosen to avoid penalizing minor on-track altercations, focusing instead on promoting cleaner racing and better driver communication. The call has been generally well-received by fans and analysts, especially in light of recent penalties that some felt were overly harsh or inconsistent.
Earlier this season, Verstappen was handed a 10-second penalty during the Miami Grand Prix sprint race for an unsafe release from the pit lane. That penalty proved costly, as it ultimately reshuffled the race result. Additionally, he was penalized in Qatar for driving unnecessarily slowly during qualifying, resulting in a grid drop—a decision that drew criticism from Red Bull Racing.
As the 2025 season intensifies, both Verstappen and Hamilton remain major contenders in the drivers’ championship, and moments like these are sure to increase the drama in what is shaping up to be another fiercely contested campaign. The FIA, meanwhile, continues to walk a fine line between enforcing rules and preserving the spectacle that Formula 1 fans around the world expect.
