The Formula 1 stewards have disclosed the reasoning behind penalizing Lewis Hamilton at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Hamilton came under scrutiny for leaving the track while contending with Max Verstappen, who then called for his competitor to face consequences.
Subsequently, the stewards acceded to Verstappen’s request. Initially, Hamilton was investigated but cleared for not utilizing the designated escape route as instructed by the race director.
In their explanation for not penalizing the Ferrari driver for this violation, the stewards issued a statement citing that Hamilton locked his brakes approaching turn four, leading him to enter the run-off area due to excessive speed, justifying his failure to comply with the instructions.
Nonetheless, they determined that the Ferrari driver gained an unfair advantage by leaving the track, resulting in a 10-second time penalty. Hamilton, who was in third place at the time of the penalty, fell to eighth after serving the penalty during his pit stop.
The stewards elaborated in a separate document, highlighting that Hamilton left the track at turn four, used the grass area to rejoin towards turn five, and overtaking Verstappen without returning the position. Therefore, the penalty for gaining an advantage by leaving the track was enforced.
Upon learning of the penalty via radio, Hamilton expressed frustration, criticizing the track conditions. Formula 1 enthusiasts can catch all sessions live on Sky Sports with the Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, which offers various channels and complimentary subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
During post-race interviews, Hamilton appeared disheartened and briefly commented on his performance, acknowledging the unpredictability of motor racing. When asked about the incident leading to his penalty, he defended his actions, emphasizing the challenging track conditions and finding solace in earning some points.