Lewis Hamilton endured a frustrating Mexico City Grand Prix after being handed a 10-second penalty for gaining a lasting advantage during his duel with Max Verstappen. The Ferrari driver, who had looked set for a strong finish, saw his race unravel following the ruling, which dropped him down the order to eighth place. Team Principal Fred Vasseur later described the decision as “harsh,” arguing that the circumstances made it difficult for Hamilton to avoid leaving the track. The penalty sparked debate over race control consistency and the fine margins between fair racing and overstepping track limits.
The incident occurred on lap six during a fierce early exchange for third place. Verstappen made an aggressive move to the inside of Turn 1, making light contact with Hamilton before cutting across the grass and rejoining ahead. As Hamilton attempted to retake the position into Turn 4, he locked up under braking, ran wide, and crossed the grass to return to the circuit, emerging ahead of Verstappen once again. While his move thrilled spectators, it drew scrutiny from the stewards, who concluded that Hamilton had gained an advantage by not using the designated escape route.
Hamilton served his 10-second penalty during his first pit stop, effectively ending his hopes of a podium in Ferrari colours. Despite the setback, he maintained composure in his post-race reflections, calling the early laps “fun” but acknowledging that the result was not what he had envisioned. Asked if he could have avoided cutting the corner, Hamilton insisted that the track’s dusty conditions made it difficult to control the car. “It’s very dirty offline,” he explained. “I did my best to bring the car back safely, and that’s all I could do.”
Vasseur, while accepting the stewards’ decision, argued that the punishment did not reflect the context of the incident. He noted that Hamilton had already lost control on the grass and did not intentionally seek an advantage. “Ten seconds was excessive,” Vasseur said, pointing out that the sanction cost them multiple positions. He emphasized that such penalties should take into account the difficulty of managing grip loss in high-speed scenarios. The Ferrari camp’s frustration reflected their belief that Hamilton’s actions were more about recovery than exploitation.
Without the penalty, Hamilton might have been in contention for Ferrari’s first podium of the season. He was ahead of Ollie Bearman at the time, and a lighter penalty could have kept him within reach of the lead pack. Still, both Hamilton and the team chose to focus on the positives — improved pace and early-race competitiveness. While the Mexico City race left Ferrari questioning the severity of stewarding, it also reinforced the team’s growing potential as Hamilton continues to adapt to life in red.
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