F1 legend Lewis Hamilton hit with ‘brutal’ FIA penalty at British Grand Prix

British Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton hit with ‘brutal’ FIA penalty at British Grand Prix

Hamilton was handed a penalty at the British GP

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 5 July 2026 16:42

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Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton was handed a five-second penalty by FIA race stewards at the British Grand Prix.

Hamilton was going for a 10th victory at Silverstone, but his afternoon was made immediately harder when he anticipated the start of the grand prix too quickly, with FIA stewards announcing that they were investigating him for a starting procedure infringement.

Very quickly, it was confirmed that Hamilton had been handed a five-second penalty for moving before the lights went out. The replay showed that Hamilton's car moved forward before the official start, although he then managed to stop before going again on lights out.

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Therefore, a smaller penalty was handed out compared to what would be given for a false start, as explained by Sky Sports F1 legend Martin Brundle.

"He anticipated it but when the lights went out, he wasn't moving," Brundle said on the live broadcast.

"He dropped the clutch in anticipation and the car moved. That's a brutal penalty because the car was not moving, but they are the rules."

Hamilton too eager to make an impression

Sat 47 points behind championship leader Antonelli in the drivers' championship heading into the race, Hamilton knows that he has to start picking up regular race victories if he is to challenge for an eighth championship this year.

Hamilton started the British GP in third, behind his team-mate Charles Leclerc and pole sitter Antonelli.

But he was clearly too eager to get himself ahead of his championship rival, misinterpreting the lights at the start of the race. He did overtake Antonelli off the line, but could not get ahead of Leclerc.

It was later revealed that Hamilton had the five-second penalty, although Antonelli did not wait for that, getting ahead of his championship rival before the penalty was served.

That put Antonelli up to second, chasing after Leclerc for what would be a sixth grand prix victory of the season.