Lewis Hamilton Reacts To Penalty That Kept Unwanted Ferrari Record Streak Alive

Hamilton was in front of the Red Bull driver entering Turn 1 as Verstappen dived to the inside with a late move.

Contact was made between the duo, but neither wanted to back down, remaining side-by-side for the switchback at Turn 2. It's here that Verstappen opted to skip across the grass to avoid contact but take the position.

At Turn 4, Hamilton went back on the attack to try and get the position back, but locked up and went into the run-off. Cutting the corner here to take the position, he was given a 10-second penalty.

While he insisted that the start of the incident felt "like racing" despite the contact, Hamilton revealed his frustration at a perceived lack of consistency, given he was the only driver from a number who were penalized for corner cutting.

"I was fine there," said Hamilton, asked about the contact with Verstappen. "It was just the cutting. Then I'm the only one to get a 10-second penalty. It was kind of nuts."

Hamilton would eventually finish eighth, dropping behind Verstappen, Oliver Bearman, Oscar Piastri and both Mercedes drivers when serving his penalty at the first round of pitstops.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur weighed in on the penalty and questioned the severity of the punishment handed down to the Briton. “The penalty for Lewis, I think it is a bit harsh,” said Vasseur.

“For sure, he didn’t keep the line until the end, but he lost the car on the grass and it was not easy to maintain. But 10 seconds is very harsh, because this dropped us behind all the group, and we lost six or seven positions, but it is like it is.”

Verstappen was investigated for the contact and his own corner-cutting, but was ultimately deemed not guilty by the stewards.