Lewis Hamilton Slams FIA Stewards as “a Joke” After Controversial Brazilian GP Penalty
Lewis Hamilton has openly criticized the FIA race stewards, branding them “a joke” after receiving a five-second time penalty during what turned into a disastrous Brazilian Grand Prix weekend — his first in Ferrari colors. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion endured a torrid outing at Interlagos, suffering a collision, damage, and ultimately a retirement that capped off a miserable Sunday for the Scuderia.
The incident occurred on the opening lap of the 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix when Hamilton, who had already sustained minor contact with his former Mercedes teammate Carlos Sainz, drove into the back of Franco Colapinto’s Alpine heading into Turn 4. The collision destroyed Hamilton’s front wing, which became lodged under the SF-25’s chassis, causing significant floor damage. Despite his attempts to continue, the Ferrari’s performance rapidly deteriorated.
To make matters worse, the FIA stewards ruled that Hamilton was at fault for the collision and handed him a five-second time penalty. The Briton was furious with the decision and vented his frustration over the team radio, saying: “These guys are a joke! A complete joke! The car moved over on me so I clipped my wing.” His outburst reflected growing tension between drivers and officials after several contentious rulings during the 2025 season.
A nightmare debut Brazilian GP for Hamilton and Ferrari
Hamilton’s race never recovered from that early contact. After pitting for repairs and rejoining at the back of the field, he struggled with balance and grip issues caused by the floor damage. By lap 40 of the 71-lap race, the Ferrari garage called him in to retire the car, marking the end of a frustrating afternoon in São Paulo. It was Ferrari’s second retirement of the race — a double blow that severely dented the team’s hopes of securing second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Charles Leclerc had earlier been eliminated from the race after being hit at Turn 1 in a chain reaction sparked by Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri. Antonelli’s Mercedes was clipped by Piastri’s McLaren, sending him into Leclerc’s path and ending the Monegasque driver’s race instantly. The FIA later handed Piastri a 10-second penalty for causing the collision.
Ferrari’s double DNF left them without any points from the Brazilian weekend. The setback allowed Mercedes to strengthen their grip on second in the Constructors’ standings, extending their advantage over Ferrari to 32 points. To compound Ferrari’s misery, Red Bull’s consistent finishes saw them leapfrog the Maranello team in the overall standings.
Hamilton’s frustration spills over
After the race, Hamilton was visibly dejected but still took time to speak to the media. He described his 2025 campaign with Ferrari as “a nightmare” and admitted that his dream of success with the iconic Italian outfit has so far been plagued by misfortune and inconsistency.
“This is the nightmare I’ve been living in for a while,” Hamilton said. “The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team and the nightmare of the results we’ve had — it’s been really challenging. You come into a weekend hoping things will turn around, and something like this happens again.”
Hamilton went on to express disappointment that his Brazilian debut with Ferrari ended in such fashion, especially after showing promising pace in qualifying earlier in the weekend. “I really wanted to get the team good points this weekend,” he added. “The atmosphere here is incredible, the fans are amazing, and I wanted to deliver something special for Ferrari. But sometimes, things just don’t go your way.”
Despite the setback, Hamilton reaffirmed his commitment to fighting back in the remaining races of the season. “Tomorrow, I’ll get back up, keep training, and keep working with the team,” he said. “We’ll analyze everything, find out what went wrong, and come back stronger in the next one. That’s all we can do right now.”
A wider issue with FIA consistency
Hamilton’s criticism of the FIA stewards echoes growing frustration among several drivers over what they see as inconsistent decision-making. The 2025 season has seen multiple controversial penalties, with the FIA frequently under fire for unclear interpretations of racing incidents. Many fans and pundits have pointed out that similar incidents have been judged differently from race to race, undermining confidence in the fairness of stewarding.
For Hamilton, who has been involved in several close calls this year, the penalty in São Paulo felt like the final straw. His post-race comments will likely reignite the ongoing debate about transparency and accountability in FIA decision-making.
As the championship heads toward its final rounds, Ferrari and Hamilton face mounting pressure to turn things around. With Mercedes and Red Bull pulling away in the standings, the Scuderia’s focus will now shift to damage control — and ensuring that their star signing’s “nightmare season” doesn’t end without a high poi
