Ferrari driver Hamilton penalized at the end of the Dutch GP: five-place grid drop for Monza after double yellow flag infringement
Bad news for Lewis Hamilton after the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver has been handed a penalty for the upcoming Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The race stewards sanctioned Hamilton with a five-place grid penalty for the next race, alongside two penalty points on his FIA super licence. The decision came after he was judged to have failed to slow down adequately under double yellow flag conditions.
Infraction at the corner before pit entry: penalty for Lewis Hamilton at Monza
The incident occurred at 14:23 local time, during the early stages of the race. Hamilton was heading back into the pits when he drove through a sector covered by double yellow flags, positioned before the pit lane entry. The flags were waved to protect possible danger situations on track or within the pit lane area.
According to the FIA’s assessment, Lewis Hamilton slowed down by just 20 km/h compared to his usual reference speed from free practice sessions. This deceleration was considered insufficient under the regulations, which require a driver to “significantly reduce” speed whenever double yellow flags are shown.
FIA analysis and stewards’ verdict
The race stewards reviewed the situation in detail. They listened to Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari team representative while also examining video footage, telemetry data, radio communications, and electronic marshalling system logs. Their conclusion was clear: the speed reduction carried out by Lewis Hamilton was not significant enough to meet the safety requirements for double yellow flag conditions.
Additionally, the FIA noted that the Briton did not enter the pit lane at a sufficiently reduced speed, as mandated by Article 44.1 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations. The investigation revealed that the Ferrari driver only lifted off the throttle marginally and applied braking 70 metres before the flagged zone. These actions were deemed inadequate to ensure full safety for marshals and other competitors.
Penalty details: five-place grid drop and two licence points
As a result of the infraction, Lewis Hamilton will serve a five-place grid drop at the next Formula 1 Grand Prix in which he competes — which is set to be the Italian GP at Monza. In addition, he has received two penalty points on his FIA super licence. These bring his total to two points over the past 12 months, still well below the 12-point threshold that would trigger a race ban.
A setback in a difficult weekend for Ferrari
The penalty comes at the end of what was already a challenging weekend for Ferrari at Zandvoort. The Scuderia had been hoping to bounce back with a strong performance, but instead left the Netherlands with disappointment. For Lewis Hamilton, this decision means he will need to fight his way back up the order at Monza, starting from a compromised position on the grid. A recovery drive will now be required to make up for the ground lost due to this sanction.
