Lewis Hamilton delivers Ferrari F1 apology

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton delivers Ferrari F1 apology

Hamilton apologises for Ferrari mistake

By Vincent Bruins.

Wednesday 29 July 2026 20:54

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Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton apologised to his Ferrari F1 team over the radio after being overtaken by Max Verstappen during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The former Mercedes star admitted he simply didn’t see the Red Bull driver coming when he was passed on lap 16 at the Hungaroring, which dropped the Brit down to fourth in the race.

The 70-lap affair in Budapest last weekend was filled with drama. Lando Norris claimed victory while Verstappen finished in second place.

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Hamilton experienced a disappointing day and after being on course to fight for a podium spot, an extra pit stop during a virtual safety car cost him a position to championship rival Kimi Antonelli.

That pit stop also resulted in Hamilton being handed a five-second time penalty having been found guilty of speeding in the pit lane, which cost him another position. In the final classification, Hamilton was fifth, losing out on yet more points to championship leader Antonelli.

But it was his battle with Verstappen earlier in the race which really caught the eye.

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Hamilton stunned by Verstappen overtake

Verstappen had already moved past both Hamilton and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the early laps. After Hamilton’s pit stop on lap 13, Verstappen rejoined the track just behind him following his own stop.

Not long after, the four-time world champion executed a daring dive on the inside of Turn 1, snatching the place from Hamilton.

Hamilton responded immediately over team radio, saying, "Ah, I couldn’t see him coming, guys."

A few laps later, he then apologised to his race engineer Carlo Santi, saying: "Sorry about losing that position, man."

Verstappen unhappy with Hamilton

On the other side of the action, Verstappen was unhappy with Hamilton's defensive moves when trying to hold down his position.

After the Brit had being clearly caught out by Verstappen, the Dutchman felt like Hamilton moved over to try and stop the overtake.

"I don’t want to complain, but that was again moving under braking. I mean, it’s nice action but it’s not right," said the Red Bull star.

Verstappen was also initially frustrated after an undercut left him trailing Hamilton in the first place. Following his impressive pass, his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked, "That was something special."

Hamilton’s ultimate fifth-place finish has widened the gap in the championship battle with leader Antonelli, who ended up third in Hungary.

Currently, the Ferrari driver trails the leading Mercedes contender by 50 points heading into the summer break.