The middle-finger gesture shown by Lewis Hamilton toward Franco Colapinto after the pair came together during the Miami Grand Prix has quickly turned into a talking point within the motorsport world. The controversy, however, is not really about the two drivers involved, as the British seven-time Formula 1 world champion and the Argentine driver appeared to settle the matter immediately after the race weekend, leaving the Florida circuit together and showing no signs of tension.
Instead, the discussion has shifted toward the FIA and what some drivers perceive as inconsistent decisions regarding similar incidents. One of the most outspoken voices has been Spanish GT racer Daniel Juncadella, who openly criticized the governing body for what he believes are clear double standards in the way penalties are applied.
The controversial gesture sparks FIA criticism
Daniel Juncadella, who currently competes in GT racing and is also part of Max Verstappen’s endurance racing project ahead of the Nürburgring 24 Hours, reacted strongly on social media after seeing images of Hamilton’s gesture toward Colapinto shared by the Spanish outlet SoyMotor.
The Spanish driver, who also races under the Verstappen Racing banner, aimed his criticism directly at FIA stewards and the federation itself. Commenting beneath the post, Juncadella wrote:
“I assume there was no fine here, right? The FIA’s double standards… they never disappoint.”
The comment quickly generated discussion among fans and followers, many of whom compared the incident involving Hamilton to previous FIA disciplinary decisions in other categories of motorsport.
Juncadella recalls Bahrain WEC penalty
The 1991-born Spanish driver was specifically referring to an episode that involved him at the end of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship season. During the Bahrain 8 Hours, the final race of last year’s WEC campaign, Juncadella showed the middle finger to rival Augusto Farfus during an on-track dispute.
For that gesture, the Spaniard received a financial penalty of 5,000 euros, although 4,000 euros of the fine were suspended. The incident became one of the more debated stewarding decisions of the WEC finale, especially because it involved conduct rather than dangerous driving.
After some users online suggested that Hamilton’s gesture toward Colapinto was “not a big deal,” Juncadella pointed directly to what he sees as an obvious inconsistency in how the FIA handles these situations across different championships.
“I don’t think it’s a problem at all that he did it,” Juncadella replied. “But give him a €2,000 fine as well, just like they did with me.”
The debate once again puts the spotlight on FIA stewarding consistency, an issue that has frequently divided Formula 1 fans, drivers, and teams in recent seasons. While Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto themselves appeared to move on from the incident immediately, the reaction from Juncadella has reopened wider discussions about whether penalties are applied equally across the various FIA-sanctioned championships.
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