Hamilton questions Ferrari strategy after Hungarian Grand Prix penalty

By Joel Kavanagh — 26 July 2026 — 3 min read

Hamilton’s Frustration at Hungaroring

Lewis Hamilton expressed significant frustration with his Ferrari team following the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he lost points in the title race against Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton finished fourth on the track at the Hungaroring but was classified fifth after receiving a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. The race was won by McLaren’s Lando Norris, with Max Verstappen of Red Bull finishing second and Antonelli third.

The penalty stemmed from a late pit stop under a virtual safety car, a decision Hamilton questioned. He stated that he did not believe the stop should have been made, noting that the call came just before the pit-lane entry, leaving him no time to debate it. This strategic choice provided him with fresh tyres but resulted in a loss of track position to Verstappen and Antonelli, positions he was unable to regain.

Hamilton reflected on the situation, suggesting he might have been able to secure second place or at least third, ahead of Antonelli, had he not pitted. He acknowledged Verstappen was catching him but felt giving up track position was detrimental. The incident led to him losing a significant number of points in the championship standings.

Penalties and Championship Implications

The pit-lane speeding penalty was Hamilton’s second sanction of the Budapest weekend and his fourth in the last three events. He had previously received a three-place grid drop in Hungary for impeding Oscar Piastri during qualifying, which moved him from second to fifth on the starting grid for Sunday’s race. In previous races, he incurred five-second penalties at Silverstone for a jump start and in Belgium for a collision with George Russell.

Hamilton admitted to making “lots of mistakes” in recent races, particularly highlighting incidents at Silverstone and Belgium, in addition to the penalties in Hungary. He emphasized the need to avoid further penalties moving forward. With the latest result, Hamilton now trails Antonelli by 50 points in the Formula One Drivers’ Championship, having started the race 45 points behind.

Despite the setbacks, Hamilton remains optimistic about Ferrari’s prospects for the remainder of the season. He expressed gratitude to the team for their efforts in the first half of the season, acknowledging that they have been at a disadvantage in terms of pace and power on the straights. Hamilton believes the second half of the season will be stronger for him and the team, viewing the upcoming summer break as an opportunity to reset and return in better form.

Norris’s Return to Form

Meanwhile, Lando Norris secured his and McLaren’s first victory of the year at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Norris believes he is currently performing at his peak, even surpassing his performance from the previous season when he won the title. He noted that despite Mercedes’ dominance in the opening 11 meetings, his driving in Hungary was among his best, extracting maximum performance from his car.

Norris highlighted his ability to drive consistently at the limit, to the extent that his team requested him to ease off slightly. He feels he is doing a better job this year than last, despite the challenges. The British driver is 91 points behind Antonelli in the championship, with 12 races remaining.

McLaren introduced significant upgrades in Hungary, which proved effective, contributing to Norris’s strong performance. He was particularly pleased with the car’s speed and overall strength during the race, despite finding it challenging to drive at times. Norris was confident in his ability to win the race, stating that when the car performs well and he is in a good flow, he is unstoppable. The Formula 1 season is scheduled to resume after the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix from August 21-23.

Source: theguardian.com