The FIA has imposed the maximum punishment after its accident during the Grand Prix of the Netherlands in Lewis Hamilton and decided to further send the Ferrari driver
ZANDVOOR, 31 August 2025 – The Grand Prix of the Netherlands was a disastrous day for Ferrari, in particular for Lewis Hamilton, who not only crashed on the Zandvoort circuit, but also received a serious punishment from the FIA. The seven times world champion, who rides his first season at Ferrari, had to face an unprecedented setting trip when he lost control of his car at the 23rd round of the race and ended up in the barrier. As if this were not enough, the FIA imposed a maximum punishment for him after the race due to a violation of the rules during the reconnaissance round before the start of the Grand Prix. This punishment forces Hamilton to start the imminent Italian Grand Prix, the Ferrari home race, from Pit Lane, a decision that left both fans and analysts shocked.
The match in Zandvoort started to promise for Hamilton. He qualified as Settimo, a position that gave hope after a series of disappointing results from his transition from Mercedes to Ferrari. During the race it seemed to be in a good position, chasing his former teammate George Russell, when the light rain made the circuit insidious. Hamilton, who had just asked for a stop in the first stop, took too much speed in the raised turn of turn 3. His Ferrari slipped on a smooth and painted section of the circuit, lost his grip and shot in the wall. The impact damaged the front of his SF-25, so he had to record his first one was not finished (DNF) as a Ferrari driver. Hamilton apologized immediately through the on -Board radio and recognized that it was an error of the drivers: “I’m sorry so, guys,” he said, he left the car unharmed.
However, the FIA had more in store for Hamilton. Before the race, it had already been noticed for a violation during its reconnaissance rounds towards the grid. According to the administrators, Hamilton did not delayed sufficiently under the double yellow flags, a serious violation of the safety rules established in the Appendix H, article 2.5.5 b) of the International Sports Code of the FIA. Furthermore, he did not meet the requirement to drive through the pit lane with “considerably reduced speed”, as prescribed in article 44.1 of F1 sports regulations. After an in -depth investigation, in which the telemetry data of both the FIA and Ferrari were analyzed, the administrators concluded that the reduction of Hamilton’s speed of only 20 km/h was not enough to be considered “significant”.
The punishment that followed was unusually heavy. Instead of the usual penalty of the grid of five or ten places, the Fia Hamilton decided to impose the maximum penalty: a start from the pit lane for the Italian Grand Prix of Monza. He also received two penalty points on his super license. This decision was justified by the fact that Hamilton’s violation took place in a critical sector where safety is fundamental, especially in view of the presence of marshals and other cars in the pit lane. The administrators stressed that, despite Hamilton’s attempt to reduce speed, the actions did not satisfy the rigorous requirements of the rules.
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For Ferrari and Hamilton, this punishment is a new blow in an already difficult season. From his transition to Ferrari, Hamilton has not reached places of podium and is fighting with the inconsistency of the SF-25. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, also had a dramatic match in Zandvoort, where he fell in the 53rd round after a collision with the Mercedes Kimi Antonelli pilot. This double DNF was a rare bleach on Ferrari’s Blazoen and underlined the challenges with which the team is fighting. Leclerc’s accident led to a 10 second punishment for Antonelli, but for Hamilton there was no external accident of guilt that was the result of his calculation error.
The reactions to punishment were mixed. Some fans praised the FIA for maintaining rigorous safety standards, while others found the exaggerated punishment, given Hamilton’s attempt to reduce the speed and lack of direct consequences of his violation. In the media, Hamilton said: “I was completely surprised by what happened. The back broke out and I could no longer correct it.” He also expressed his frustration for Ferrari’s continuous adjustment problems, but he stressed that the team is making progress. With the Italian Grand Prix in Officing, Hamilton faces a difficult challenge. Starting from the pit lane on the iconic circuit of Monza, where Ferrari is traditionally strong, he will seriously limit his possibilities of good results. This punishment, combined with his accident in Zandvoort, throws a shadow on his hope of rediscovering his love for sport after a first half of the season. For Ferrari and his fans it is a bitter pill to swallow, above all because the expectations for Hamilton’s arrival to the team were so high. The question remains if the legendary pilot can overcome these setbacks and put the stamp in the red of Ferrari.
