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Hamilton Frustrated After Penalty Spree: 'Recent Races Have Been Bad'
Lewis Hamilton is struggling with an unusual streak of four penalties across the last three Grand Prix weekends, causing tempers to flare in the paddock.
By Nadia van Leeuwen - 2026-07-28T06:42:23.000Z - 3 min read
It is a rare sight: seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton hitting penalty after penalty. Following the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Brit himself described his recent races as 'pretty bad'. His frustration spilled over on the team radio, complaining that the stewards are 'handing out penalties like crazy' and that 'every time I give them a chance, they penalize me'. Collecting four penalties in just three race weekends is remarkable, even for a driver of his stature.
The most recent sanction, handed out during the race in Hungary, was a five-second time penalty for exceeding the pit lane speed limit. Hamilton went 0.1 km/h over, costing him a finishing position, dropping from fourth to fifth. Team principal Fred Vasseur explained that the FIA permits a minimal margin of 0.05 km/h over the 80 km/h threshold, while Hamilton was clocked at 80.06 km/h. Vasseur viewed it as a 'consecutive sequence of errors', suggesting Hamilton may have disengaged his speed limiter a fraction early in his eagerness to stay ahead of rival Kimi Antonelli following the pit stop.
This penalty followed prior incidents. At Silverstone, Hamilton received a five-second penalty for a slight movement before the start lights went out, despite remaining within his grid slot. He argued there is inconsistency in the regulations, which the FIA agreed to review for the future. Then at Spa, another five-second penalty followed for a collision with George Russell. Russell himself branded it a 'racing incident'—a sentiment echoed by Hamilton, who stated the penalty was 'unnecessary' and cost him valuable points.
Qualifying for the Hungarian race brought further grief: a three-place grid penalty for impeding Oscar Piastri. Hamilton took responsibility, calling it a 'communication error'. He admitted he should have checked his mirrors, though he anticipated other drivers were further around their flying loops. Hamilton stressed his resolve not to give stewards any pretext to penalize him in the future.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso faces a pivotal decision regarding his Formula 1 future. With his contract expiring this year, the 45-year-old is carefully weighing his options. While the Spaniard affirms he enjoys competing, he is less enthusiastic about current engine regulations and energy management, which he believes diminish the pure driving experience. Unlike his sabbatical in 2018, any departure now would be permanent, adding weight to his final choice.
Aston Martin's performance trajectory plays a critical role. The recent upgrade in Hungary, which reportedly yielded an impressive two seconds per lap and demonstrated factory capability, marked a positive step forward. Furthermore, the team holds high expectations for the new Honda power unit debuting after the summer break. Alonso, mindful of his mixed past history with Honda, will monitor progress closely before committing, even as team boss Adrian Newey fervently hopes he stays on for his 'incredible feedback and talent'.
Lastly, Hungary was marred by confusion surrounding the blue flag system. A glitch linking the F1 timing system and FIA race control resulted in errant signaling. This forced the FIA to revert to manual flagging, contributing to incidents such as the collision between Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri. Sainz received a penalty for the crash. The FIA is preparing a software patch to prevent similar failures in future events.