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Lewis Hamilton delivers abrupt response to FIA penalty at Mexican Grand Prix

By Hugo Harvey – Mexico City, October 27, 2025

Lewis Hamilton’s weekend at the Mexican Grand Prix took a frustrating turn as what began with promise and potential for Ferrari ended in disappointment. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion looked poised to finally secure his long-awaited first podium with the Scuderia, but a costly penalty and subsequent loss of pace saw him tumble down the order to a deflating eighth-place finish.

A strong start unravels early

Hamilton entered Sunday’s race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez full of confidence after a superb qualifying performance placed him third on the grid, behind Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. Ferrari’s form on Saturday had been encouraging, with both drivers showing genuine speed, sparking optimism that the team could challenge McLaren and Red Bull for victory.

The opening moments of the race, however, quickly turned chaotic. As the lights went out, Hamilton made an aggressive start and launched alongside Norris, Leclerc, and Max Verstappen, making it a tense four-wide battle heading into Turn 1. Verstappen, ever opportunistic, attempted a daring move on the outside but ran deep, cutting across the corner. The jostling for position left Hamilton momentarily boxed in, though he managed to hold firm in third position as the field sorted itself out behind him.

For the first few laps, Hamilton looked competitive, fending off Verstappen’s relentless pressure and maintaining his place in the top three. But the situation took a dramatic turn on lap six. Verstappen launched another bold attack, forcing Hamilton to defend hard into Turn 4. In the process, Hamilton locked his front tyres and ran off the circuit, skimming across the grass before rejoining ahead of the Red Bull.

FIA intervenes with penalty decision

The stewards swiftly reviewed the incident and ruled that Hamilton had gained a lasting advantage by leaving the track. Their verdict was uncompromising — a 10-second time penalty for the Ferrari driver. The decision came as a heavy blow for both Hamilton and the team, who had been eager to build momentum following their strong showing at the United States Grand Prix a week earlier.

Although Hamilton continued to fight valiantly, the penalty disrupted his rhythm. Ferrari’s strategy calls could not make up for the lost time, and the Brit ultimately slipped down the order as faster cars behind — including Oscar Piastri and George Russell — took advantage of the time-adjusted standings.

By the chequered flag, Hamilton crossed the line in eighth place, extending his frustrating run to 20 races without a podium finish since joining Ferrari. The result also underlined the team’s ongoing struggles, as Leclerc managed only second place behind a dominant Norris, marking yet another missed opportunity for the Italian outfit to return to the top step of the podium.

Hamilton reacts to the setback

After the race, Hamilton’s tone was noticeably subdued compared to his buoyant demeanour after qualifying. The British driver offered short, guarded responses when speaking to the media — a sign of his quiet frustration with how the weekend had unfolded.

“It was fun at the start and it didn’t end up the way I’d hoped. That’s motor racing,” Hamilton said bluntly when asked about the race’s chaotic opening laps.

When pressed about the track conditions and his off-track excursion, the Ferrari star kept his answer concise. “It’s very, very dirty offline and I did the best I could to bring the car back to the track safely. That’s all I could hope for,” he explained.

Despite his disappointment, Hamilton tried to find some silver linings. “Yes, there are some positives. We got some points, at least,” he added, closing the interview in typically stoic fashion.

A year without victory for Ferrari

The result in Mexico means Ferrari have now gone a full year without a race win, their last triumph coming in 2024. For Hamilton, the wait for a breakthrough podium with the team continues, even as he remains optimistic that progress is being made behind the scenes.

As the season heads toward its final rounds, Ferrari’s focus will likely shift to consistency and reliability — two key areas that have often let them down in 2025. For Hamilton, patience remains his biggest test yet, as he continues to chase the elusive podium that has so far slipped through his grasp since donning the red of Maranello.

While his responses may have been abrupt, they reflect the growing sense of urgency at Ferrari — a team desperate to turn promise into results before the year comes to a close.

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