Lewis Hamilton expressed strong dissatisfaction with race officials’ decision to impose a 10-second penalty on him during the Mexican Grand Prix. The penalty was issued for him going off-track at turn four while battling with Max Verstappen.
This penalty dealt a significant blow to the Ferrari F1 driver, who was in third place after 17 laps. Hamilton immediately criticized the decision over his team radio when informed about the penalty by his engineer.
He attributed the error to the track conditions at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, stating that the grip level was very low. Hamilton promptly served his penalty in the pits, rejoining the race in 14th position, diminishing his chances of winning.
Shortly after Hamilton’s penalty, Fernando Alonso was forced to retire due to a mechanical issue, becoming the third driver to do so in the race. Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg also faced early retirements due to mechanical problems.
Hamilton entered the race sixth in the Drivers’ Championship standings, trailing 202 points behind Oscar Piastri. His teammate Charles Leclerc was one position ahead, with a 50-point lead over the seven-time Formula 1 champion.
Despite a challenging season and his decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari, Hamilton has yet to secure a Grand Prix win this year, with his best finishes being fourth place in several races.
Although out of contention for the Drivers’ Championship, Hamilton aims to finish the season strongly in the upcoming races in Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. Additionally, Fanatics has unveiled the 2026 team kits for Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, and other teams.