Hamilton skips steward meeting, Ferrari doesn’t blame Verstappen: “Lewis went wide by choice”. Max Verstappen avoids a penalty after his on-track battle with Lewis Hamilton in Hungary.

A battle between champions
A direct wheel-to-wheel battle on track between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen—regardless of whether it is for a race victory or simply a position in the lower points—always brings excitement and drama to a Formula 1 Grand Prix. The Hungarian Grand Prix was no exception. Even though the fight did not concern the front of the field, the intense rivalry between the two multiple world champions was reignited on Sunday when they found themselves racing closely after Max Verstappen’s first pit stop.

During lap 29 of the race at the Hungaroring, after spending four laps behind the Ferrari-branded car #44 driven by Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen made a daring overtaking attempt at Turn 4. In response to the move, Lewis Hamilton ran wide, going well beyond the track limits, and the Dutchman easily claimed the position. However, race stewards immediately launched an investigation into the episode, suspecting possible contact between the two cars or potential unsporting behavior from the reigning World Champion Max Verstappen.

Hamilton said to be “spooked”
Ultimately, Max Verstappen was cleared of any wrongdoing. He had stated right after the race that there had been no contact with Lewis Hamilton’s car and that the seven-time World Champion had simply been “spooked” when he saw the Red Bull driver attempting a bold maneuver on the inside. This version of events was officially confirmed by the race stewards, who decided not to penalize Max Verstappen for the incident.

What made the situation even more intriguing was how the investigation unfolded. Lewis Hamilton chose not to appear before the race stewards for the hearing. Instead, he delegated the responsibility to a representative from the Ferrari team—an unusual and unexpected move, especially considering that Hamilton now drives for Scuderia Ferrari in the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Max Verstappen cleared—with Ferrari’s support
On the other hand, Max Verstappen did attend the hearing and firmly stood by his version of the facts. He explained that he had built up some momentum behind car #44 as they exited Turn 3, thanks to having fresher tires. Verstappen used this performance advantage to attempt an overtaking move on the inside line of Turn 4. He stressed that he had full control of his Red Bull RB21 throughout the maneuver and that he could have stayed closer to the inside if needed, leaving more space for Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari on exit.

However, Verstappen also pointed out that since Hamilton had already run off the circuit, he opted to use the full width of the track. This approach, according to Verstappen, allowed him to complete the overtake safely without forcing Hamilton off track, as there was no contact between the two vehicles.

In a surprising twist, Max Verstappen’s explanation was supported by Ferrari itself. The spokesperson for Scuderia Ferrari—who was present in place of Lewis Hamilton at the stewards’ hearing—confirmed Verstappen’s account. According to the official FIA document released after the race, the Ferrari representative acknowledged that there had been no physical contact between the two cars and added that the driver of car #44, Lewis Hamilton, had made the decision not to attempt to stay on track during the maneuver.

The stewards concluded their investigation by stating: “Taking all of this into consideration, the race stewards determine that no contact occurred and that the incident does not constitute forcing another car off track, despite the ambitious nature of the overtaking attempt.” As a result, the officials chose not to take any further action against Max Verstappen.