FIA announce Lewis Hamilton penalty verdict after … Saudi Grand Prix …Read more
Lewis Hamilton has escaped any form of punishment following an incident involving Alex Albon during the second free practice session (FP2) at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The moment occurred when Hamilton, while preparing for a flying lap, appeared to obstruct Albon, who was on a fast lap of his own. The Williams driver was forced to take evasive action to avoid a potential collision and reacted angrily over team radio, calling the move “dangerous.”
Albon’s outburst brought the incident to the attention of the FIA stewards, who launched an official investigation into what took place. Both Hamilton and Albon were summoned to explain their sides of the situation. After reviewing footage and hearing from the drivers, the stewards acknowledged that Hamilton had indeed unnecessarily impeded Albon’s progress at Turn 17. However, they stopped short of labeling the maneuver as dangerous.
The stewards’ verdict was heavily influenced by Albon’s own reflections during the inquiry. The Thai-British driver admitted that although he was initially surprised and irritated by the obstruction, he had the situation under control and didn’t believe there was any real threat of an accident upon further review. As a result, the officials decided not to issue any penalties to Hamilton.
Interestingly, Albon noted that he had seen Hamilton’s car ahead of him at the previous corner and was shocked to encounter the Ferrari in his path at Turn 17, as he hadn’t expected the car to be there.
Earlier that day, Hamilton was also involved in a separate moment of tension when Carlos Sainz—the driver he replaced at Ferrari—reportedly issued him a warning about how and where he was allowing other cars to pass during practice. Despite these incidents, Hamilton’s clash with Albon was the only one that drew official scrutiny from the FIA.
This weekend is especially important for Hamilton, who is looking to recover from a difficult start to his debut season with Ferrari. In the opening four races of the season, the seven-time world champion has only managed to score 25 points and currently sits seventh in the drivers’ championship standings—behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, who has outperformed him in most of the early rounds.
Hamilton will be hoping to turn things around at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, as pressure mounts for the veteran driver to deliver results in his high-profile move to the Italian team. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix could prove to be a turning point, either positively or negatively, depending on his performance over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Formula 1 grid also experienced its share of drama in Jeddah, including a session-ending crash involving a Red Bull driver that led to red flags being waved. The high-speed nature of the street circuit continues to challenge even the most experienced drivers, setting the stage for an unpredictable race.
