Lewis Hamilton has found himself on the receiving end of four steward penalties across three consecutive Formula 1 weekends, a tally that is unusually high for any driver in such a short span. The latest sanction came at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he was penalised for exceeding the pit‑lane speed limit.
Frustrated, Hamilton radioed that the stewards were "handing out penalties like crazy," a comment that sparked debate about consistency and fairness in the sport. The cumulative effect of these penalties has been tangible. Hamilton’s points haul in the drivers' championship has slipped, leaving him 50 points behind the current leader, Kimi Antonelli. The question on many fans' minds is whether the penalties were warranted or if they have unduly hampered a title‑contending campaign.
**British Grand Prix – Jump‑start Penalty** At Silverstone, Hamilton was handed a five‑second time penalty for a perceived jump‑start. Stewards argued that his car moved forward before the lights went out, a violation of the start‑procedure rules. Despite the penalty, Hamilton managed to finish third, partly because a late‑race pit stop saw him accidentally knock a pit crew member, an incident that arguably saved his podium finish. He later described the sanction as harsh, noting that similar movements by other drivers in the past had gone unpunished.
In the drivers' briefing he highlighted the inconsistency, saying, "We talked about the fact that they're inconsistent with this stuff. Drivers in the past have moved and not been penalised. As long as you're not moving when the last lights are on, you shouldn't be penalised. I wasn't out of my box.
And they agreed. So they're looking into that for the future." While the penalty did not alter his finishing position, it added an unwanted psychological sting. **British Grand Prix – Collision with George Russell** Later in the same race, Hamilton received another five‑second penalty, this time for being "wholly at fault" in a first‑lap incident with teammate George Russell at Turn 5.
Hamilton under‑steered into the inside line, unable to maintain sufficient separation, which sent Russell spinning into the gravel and out of the race. Russell himself called the contact a "racing incident," but the stewards still imposed the sanction.
Hamilton argued that even Russell considered it a normal part of racing, stating, "Even the driver I collided with said that it was just a racing incident. I think that one was not needed. But that cost me a lot of points." The penalty was served under a Virtual Safety Car, reducing its impact, yet without it Hamilton likely would have finished on the podium rather than fourth.
The missed points could have been crucial in his championship fight, especially given that his teammate Charles Leclerc was only overtaken by race‑winner Antonelli with ten laps remaining, leaving a potential duel for second place. **Hungarian Grand Prix – Grid‑drop for Impeding** Qualifying at the Hungaroring saw Hamilton receive a three‑place grid penalty for impeding Oscar Piastri during the final phase of Q3.
After completing his own run, Hamilton remained on track, unaware that Piastri was about to start his flying lap, effectively blocking the McLaren driver through Turn 1. Hamilton accepted responsibility, saying, "I should have looked in my mirrors.
I thought everyone would have been at the end of the first lap. The information I got was right at the end. A communication error." He also criticised Ferrari for sending both its cars out first in the final Q3 runs, a decision that contributed to the confusion.
Starting from fifth instead of the front row cost Hamilton a prime chance to lead on the first lap and possibly claim victory. He ultimately finished fourth, losing up to three points because of the grid drop. **Hungarian Grand Prix – Pit‑lane Speed Violation** During the race, Hamilton exceeded the 80 km/h pit‑lane speed limit by a hair’s breadth—0.1 km/h—while trying to beat Antonelli on the merge after a pit stop. He admitted it was a driver error, adding in hindsight that he should not have pitted at all, as his tyres were still in good condition and a third‑place finish was within reach.
He explained to Sky Sports F1, "The call came literally just before the pit lane entry and I didn't have time to debate and you've got to trust the decision that has been taken. In hindsight, my tyres were totally fine. I was probably going to lose out to Max but I think I could have kept third at least.
Then just opened up the door to obviously the penalty that I got in the end." **Overall Impact** Excluding the collision with Russell, which many observers consider a borderline case, the remaining penalties are difficult to dispute. The total points lost from the in‑race sanctions amount to roughly six, but the grid‑drop in qualifying likely cost Hamilton more, potentially three to six points, and denied him a stronger starting position that could have translated into a win.
Given Ferrari's strong pace in Budapest, a clean start on fresh soft tyres from the front row could have seen Hamilton leading the race and possibly securing victory, which would have narrowed the gap to Antonelli to under 40 points. **Looking Ahead** Hamilton and Ferrari must eliminate these unforced errors if they aim to secure a record‑breaking eighth world title. "I'll work hard to try and come back.
There's still a lot of positives to take. I'm going to try and make sure I don't give them any reason to penalise me," Hamilton asserted. The next opportunity arrives after the summer break with a Sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix (21‑23 August), where every session will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. With the championship still wide open, a penalty‑free run could be the decisive factor in Hamilton's quest for another crown.