** Lewis Hamilton hit with a 20 -seater network penalty in Iola, shaking the season F1 2025 **
In an impressive turning point of the events in the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion of Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton was slapped by a dramatic penalty of the 20-seater network, sending bumping waves through the F1 community. The penalty, emitted by the FIA after a controversial accident during the qualification in Iola, drastically changed the panorama of what was already a demanding weekend for Hamilton and his Ferrari team. This development caused heated debates between fans and experts and many question the equity and the moment of FIA’s decision.
The accident in question occurred during the Saturday qualification session at the internal hiking Enzo and Dino Ferrari. Reports indicate that the Ferrari de Hamilton has violated the technical regulations, with the FIA that cites illegal regulation to the components of the automotive power unit. The details remain under control, but the penalty falls to Hamilton from its twelfth qualified position on the back of the network, effectively canceling its possibilities of a strong initial position against the fans who are passionate about Ferrari. This marks a significant setting for Hamilton, who had shown a promising rhythm during practice sessions, but fought to extract all the potential of the SF-25 car in the qualification.
Despite the rigor, Hamilton’s resistance was on display during the race. From the beginning, he performed a remarkable recovery campaign, exploiting the strategic calls of Ferrari and capitalizing a virtual safety car and a complete period of safety cars to get on the field. Next to the checkered flag, Hamilton crossed the line in an impressive fourth place, overcoming characters such as Alex Albon, George Russell and even his teammate Charles Leclerc in the final stages. His performance was a testimony of his experience and determination, which praised the fans who filled Oricola with a “sea of red”. Hamilton described the result as a “really fantastic sensation”, in particular because it was his first race in Italy for Ferrari.
However, the sanction resumed discussions on the regulatory approach of the FIA. Some argue that the degradation of 20 seats, generally reserved for important infringements, was too difficult, above all given the weekend already challenging Ferrari. Both Hamilton and Leclerc have not been able to reach Q3, marking the worst classification of Ferrari in seven races this season. The critics point out that the penalty interrupted what could have been a competitive performance for Ferrari, who had introduced updates into the rear and in the corner to increase the performance in Iola. Others, however, defend the decision of the FIA, underlining the need for a rigorous adherence to the technical rules to maintain equity throughout the network.
The consequences of this penalty extend beyond the ICOLA. The fourth place in Hamilton brought him to sixth place in the pilot championship, overcoming Andrea Kimi Antonelli de Mercedes, but follows eight points from Leclerc. With Ferrari in fourth place in the classification of manufacturers, the team faces growing pressure to unlock the potential of the SF-25, in particular in the qualification, to challenge the tastes of McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull. While the F1 goes to Munich, Hamilton is still optimistic, mentioning new configuration ideas to extract the rhythm of more cars.
This dramatic weekend added another chapter to the historical breed of Hamilton, combining adversity with an energetic return. While the penalty has been inserted, his performance in Iola stresses that Ferrari’s struggle is far from finishing.
