Lewis Hamilton admits staying positive is difficult after third penalty in three weekends. Lewis Hamilton remains hopeful over Ferrari pace after Budapest grid drop.

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that remaining positive is becoming increasingly difficult after a three-place Hungarian GP grid penalty dropped the Ferrari driver from second to fifth for Sunday’s race in Budapest. The sanction for impeding Oscar Piastri came after Lewis Hamilton had narrowly missed pole position, extending his run to three penalties in as many Formula 1 weekends.

The latest setback is particularly frustrating because Lewis Hamilton has shown strong pace throughout the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. Ferrari has also been consistently competitive at the Hungaroring, leaving the seven-time world champion hopeful that he can still recover valuable positions in the race.

Lewis Hamilton’s Hungarian GP grid penalty extends difficult run

Lewis Hamilton’s sequence of penalties began at Silverstone, where he received a five-second sanction during his home Grand Prix for a false start. At Spa-Francorchamps, he was handed another five-second penalty, served during his pit stop, following the contact that eliminated George Russell from the Belgian Grand Prix.

In Budapest, Lewis Hamilton was penalised three places on the grid for impeding Oscar Piastri during qualifying. The decision means the Ferrari driver will start fifth rather than second, completing a challenging disciplinary run despite the strength of his performances.

Lewis Hamilton nevertheless remains second in the 2026 Formula 1 drivers’ standings, 45 points behind championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli. According to the revised Hungarian Grand Prix starting grid, Lewis Hamilton will line up two positions ahead of the Mercedes driver on Sunday.

Later in the evening, Lewis Hamilton reflected on his recent setbacks in an Instagram post. Despite his frustration, the Ferrari driver also praised the progress made by the team and the competitiveness of his car in Budapest.

Lewis Hamilton: “It’s becoming difficult to hang on to that positivity”

“Sometimes you just can’t catch a break. Another weekend when I’ve been feeling great throughout all the sessions, but then it just falls apart. To go from being so close to pole to then starting P5 is extremely frustrating.

“I always do my best to keep positive – sport is always about the highs and lows, but it’s also in the margins. Every point counts and you have to seize every opportunity.

“After three penalties in three weekends, it’s becoming difficult to hang on to that positivity. Still, I won’t let the setbacks take away from the progress we’ve been making as a team. With the pace we have, I’m hopeful we can get something out of the race tomorrow. The car has been feeling better and better, and we’ve been competitive all weekend.

“Tonight, we’ll keep working hard together to give ourselves the best possible chance tomorrow. I always enjoy this track, so keep the faith and send good vibes for the race.”

The Hungaroring has traditionally been one of Lewis Hamilton’s strongest circuits. His eight victories and record nine pole positions in Budapest add further intrigue to his attempt to recover from fifth place with an increasingly competitive Ferrari.