"It's pretty nuts": Lewis Hamilton opens up on getting penalized during the F1 Mexican GP

Lewis Hamilton was left confused by the 10-second penalty he received during the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix. Speaking to Sportskeeda after the race, the Ferrari driver expressed frustration over how events unfolded on what had initially looked like a strong race for him.

Starting third on the grid, Hamilton was involved in an intense four-way fight with Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, and Max Verstappen. On lap six, while battling Verstappen, the Briton ran across the grass and rejoined the track ahead of the Dutchman. The stewards judged that he had gained an advantage and issued a 10-second penalty, which he served during his pit stop, effectively ending his hopes of a podium finish.

Although Verstappen overtook him several laps later, the penalty was still applied. Replays showed that Verstappen had made the corner cleanly, while the British driver had cut the grass and returned ahead.

Lewis Hamilton teammate Charles Leclerc made a similar move in the first-lap battle with Norris and Verstappen, but handed the place back to Norris, not to Hamilton. The seven-time world champion believed his start had been strong but felt the penalty was harsh compared to other incidents. He eventually finished eighth, a disappointing result after starting third on the grid.

Asked by Sportskeeda about his race start, Lewis Hamilton said:

“I had a great start, and was braking into Turn 1, I was in P2, I navigated through 1 and 2 and 3, and I didn't go off track. Others cut it, held position, and didn't get penalties. It's pretty nuts.”

Asked about his penalty, he replied:

“It's pretty much the same as all the other people around me. So it didn't make sense.”

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Lewis Hamilton was baffled being the only driver to get a penalty for the start during the 2025 Mexican GP

Lewis Hamilton felt that his battle with Max Verstappen during the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix was fair racing, but was left puzzled by the ten-second penalty that followed. The Ferrari driver explained that the escape road he took during his brief off-track moment was dusty and lacked grip, which made rejoining the track difficult.

However, he was confused as to why he was the only driver penalized for similar incidents by many other drivers in the race. Verstappen had a similar incident but had handed the place back escaping a penalty from the stewards.

The 10-second stop-and-go penalty dropped Hamilton out of contention for a top-five finish and ended his hopes of recovering to the podium places despite having started the race from third on the grid. Asked about Verstappen not getting a penalty for making contact at Turn 1, Lewis Hamilton said:

“That’s, It felt like racing. I was fine there. It was just like cutting, and then I'm the only one given a ten-second penalty.That's a 10 seconds stop and go.”

Describing his off-track excursion, he added:

“I pinched the front, I went to go down the exit road, but it's like the dustiest place on earth, and then I pinched the other car down, so I ended up back in the grass, but it was the exit road.”

The 2025 season has been a rare one for the seven-time world champion, marking the first in his career without a podium or race win so far. With the Brazilian Grand Prix up next, Hamilton heads to Interlagos, a circuit where he remains immensely popular and has historically delivered strong performances.

Currently, Lewis Hamilton sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with 146 points. His teammate Charles Leclerc, who has scored six podiums this season, holds fifth place ahead of him. In the constructors’ standings, Ferrari has reclaimed second, leading Mercedes by a single point, with Red Bull ten points further behind.