FIA announce Lewis Hamilton penalty verdict after Ferrari mi… See details
Lewis Hamilton received an unexpected reprieve from the FIA stewards ahead of the 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix sprint race. The Ferrari driver, who endured a difficult qualifying session, avoided what many anticipated would be a grid penalty after being investigated for allegedly failing to slow down under double waved yellow flags during Friday’s Sprint Qualifying.
Hamilton’s Friday was already off to a disappointing start. The seven-time world champion failed to make it into the final segment of sprint qualifying (SQ3), missing the top 10 by a narrow margin and finishing 11th in the SQ2 session. Ferrari’s pace appeared inconsistent throughout qualifying, with both of their drivers struggling to find grip on the evolving Interlagos track surface.
Matters worsened when race control noted a potential breach of yellow-flag regulations by Hamilton during the second qualifying session. The incident occurred after his teammate Charles Leclerc spun his Ferrari at Turn 11, losing control and coming to rest awkwardly near the edge of the circuit. With Leclerc momentarily stranded in a dangerous position, double yellow flags were displayed to warn other drivers of the hazard.
Footage appeared to show Hamilton passing the yellow flag signal — displayed on the digital light board at the entrance to Turn 10 — without visibly slowing down. The situation prompted an official investigation by the FIA stewards, who summoned Hamilton and Ferrari representatives after the session.
The initial reaction from fans and pundits suggested that Hamilton might face a grid penalty, as failure to respect double yellow flags typically results in a five-place drop. However, after reviewing onboard camera footage and telemetry data, the FIA issued only a formal reprimand, allowing the British driver to keep his 11th-place starting position for Saturday’s sprint race.
In their official statement, the stewards explained that the yellow light signal appeared only briefly before Hamilton passed it. The footage confirmed that the digital warning had been illuminated for just a fraction of a second — too short for Hamilton to have reasonably reacted. They also noted that Hamilton was already focused on his turn-in point for the corner and could not have seen the signal in time.
“During the hearing, Hamilton explained that he did not see the light signal,” the stewards’ report read. “The onboard footage confirms that the signal was only illuminated for a fraction of a second before Hamilton passed it. In similar circumstances in the past, the stewards have deemed it appropriate to impose a reprimand rather than the standard five-place grid penalty specified in the guidelines. For reasons of consistency, a reprimand is considered sufficient in this case.”
The verdict came as a relief for both Hamilton and Ferrari, who were already facing an uphill challenge after a poor qualifying showing. A grid penalty would have pushed Hamilton further down the order, making points in the sprint far more difficult to achieve.
The decision also sparked discussion among fans about the consistency of FIA rulings. Some argued that other drivers in previous seasons had received grid penalties for similar incidents, while others praised the stewards for a measured and fair interpretation of the rules.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris claimed pole position for the sprint race after producing a stunning lap of 1:09.243 for McLaren. The young Brit edged out Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli by just 0.097 seconds, while Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri secured third place, completing an impressive showing for the Woking-based team.
George Russell put his Mercedes in fourth, narrowly ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who was separated from Max Verstappen by just 0.001 seconds in a thrillingly close session. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll followed in seventh, while Charles Leclerc salvaged eighth despite his earlier spin. Rising star Isack Hadjar impressed by taking ninth for the Racing Bulls, with Nico Hülkenberg rounding out the top ten for Kick Sauber.
The complete Sprint Qualifying results saw Hamilton in 11th, ahead of Alex Albon (Williams), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber), and Oliver Bearman (Haas), all of whom were eliminated in SQ2. Further back, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, and Carlos Sainz rounded out the grid after failing to progress past the first qualifying phase.
For Hamilton, the reprimand rather than a grid drop means an opportunity to fight for points in Saturday’s sprint. Ferrari will be hoping to turn around their difficult start to the weekend and recover lost momentum after a series of inconsistent performances this season. With changeable weather conditions expected at Interlagos, both Ferrari drivers will have the chance to make up ground in what promises to be an unpredictable sprint race.
