F1 legend Lewis Hamilton handed late FIA penalty verdict at British Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton, FIA, Ferrari, Belgium, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

British Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton handed late FIA penalty verdict at British Grand Prix

Well that's a lucky break!

Chris Deeley

Sunday 5 July 2026 19:43

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Lewis Hamilton has avoided a time penalty which even he admitted he would 'probably get' at the British Grand Prix on Sunday.

A dramatic race saw the Brit finish third in his home race under a safety car finish, dropping second place to George Russell after anticipating a restart which never came, when the news came down that he would be investigated for a yellow flag infringement after the race.

Hamilton had already served a five-second penalty during the race for moving before the start signal, and appeared resigned to being relegated further when speaking to the media after his visit to the stewards.

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Even a five-second penalty, the minimum time penalty which can be given by the stewards, would have seen the seven-time world champion lose his podium finish and sink to 14th place thanks to the field being closed up under the safety car.

However, he was let away with a simple reprimand, his first of the season.

RESULTS: Verstappen crash costs Hamilton in dramatic finish

Why did Lewis Hamilton avoid a penalty at the British Grand Prix?

That would have been devastating to his title hopes, wiping out a massive 15-point gain over Kimi Antonelli which was in place thanks to the championship leader's mechanical issues.

As it is, Hamilton's gap to the young Italian is down to just 32 points – although that could've been 29 if he'd stayed out of the pits under the safety car and not given up second position to Russell.

The stewards' reasoning for the reprimand read: "HAM entered the relevant sector before any yellow flag or yellow light panel was displayed, with no such indication present before Turn 9. The first light panel encountered after Turn 9 was displaying green immediately before Turn 10. The yellow indication on the steering wheel display only appeared once the driver was already on the straight towards Turn 10 and close to the end of the yellow flag zone.

"The evidence showed that there was no yellow light panel warning within the driver’s immediate field of vision and that the yellow indication on the steering wheel display remained visible for only a very short period. The Stewards were therefore satisfied that the time available for the driver to react to the yellow flag indication was very limited.

"The Stewards also accept that, immediately prior to entering the sector, HAM had been involved in an overtaking manoeuvre with VER and that the driver was expecting a counter attack. As a result, his attention remained directed to his mirrors for most of the straight towards Turn 10, rather than immediately towards the green light panel at the end of the sector. The Stewards took this into account when considering whether the visibility of the green light panel should itself have made it clear to the driver that he was still within a yellow flag zone.

"The Stewards nevertheless determine that, after the yellow had been displayed on the steering wheel display and the green light panel was illuminated immediately before Turn 10, HAM did not make a discernible reduction of speed and therefore did not fully comply with the requirements applicable under a single yellow flag.

"In determining the penalty, the Stewards took into account that HAM had entered the sector before the yellow was shown, that the yellow indication reached the driver only when he was already near the end of the sector, that the time and distance available to react were very limited, and that the driver’s attention had, for understandable reasons, been occupied by the immediately preceding battle with another car."

Speaking to Sky Sports before the decision was announced, he said: "I'm probably going to get a penalty. The FIA often have to react... I went through a yellow flag and didn't see it. So a jump start, yellow flag [infringement]. When it rains it pours. I've just been to see them but don't have an answer. But I will probably get a penalty I'm sure."

F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari FIA British Grand Prix