The opening phase of the GP in Mexico resulted in a chaotic spectacle – behind race leader Lando Norris, there was a scramble in the first corner. Multiple cars were pushed off the track, with the grass next to the asphalt being eagerly used to cut corners. Interestingly, only Lewis Hamilton was penalized for this; the Brit saw his podium chances go up in smoke due to a hefty ten-second time penalty. He is far from surprised that he was the one reprimanded by the FIA.
In the initial phase of the race, several drivers, including Hamilton and Max Verstappen, took to the grass. Among others, George Russell complained over the radio that Verstappen should give back his position, as he had allegedly gained it off the track. However, the FIA did not respond. Not much later, Verstappen got involved in a duel with his old rival, Lewis Hamilton, who felt compelled to defend his position via the grass. This time, the stewards did intervene; the Brit was given a ten-second time penalty, which he would later serve in the pit lane.
Hamilton’s Reaction Post-Race
A disheartened Hamilton, who ultimately finished in P8, reacted after the race, expressing no surprise that he was the only one reprimanded. “I don’t even need to watch the footage, I know exactly what happened,” he sighed. “I came through turns two, three, and four in second place, and somehow ended up fourth,” he referred to his rivals cutting corners. “No one was penalized for that, even though they completely cut the track. Later, a few more drivers did exactly the same, but as soon as I go wide once, I immediately get a penalty. That tells me enough.”
‘Quite Bizarre’
“It made absolutely no sense,” Hamilton continued, irritated. “I had a great start and stayed on the track. Others maintained their position by cutting corners and got away with it. I find that quite bizarre. At first, it was quite fun, but it didn’t end as I had hoped,” he summarized his race. “But well, that’s motorsport. Of course, there are also positive points,” he concluded with a faint smile. “At least we scored some points.”
Hamilton’s Outlook
From P3, Hamilton had a view of his first podium with Ferrari, but that honor remains elusive for now. The seven-time world champion has four more Grands Prix to maintain an impressive record – finishing on the podium at least once in every Formula 1 season he participated in.
