Lewis Hamilton’s Hungary frustration grows after another costly penalty: “They give me one every chance they get”. Lewis Hamilton loses position after another Hungarian GP penalty.

Lewis Hamilton’s Hungarian GP penalty cost the Ferrari driver another position and extended his increasingly difficult disciplinary run during the 2026 Formula 1 season. The seven-time world champion received a five-second sanction for speeding in the pit lane, dropping behind team-mate Charles Leclerc in the final classification at the Hungaroring.

It was Lewis Hamilton’s fourth penalty across the last three Grands Prix. His frustration was clear after the race, particularly after he had already acknowledged that remaining positive was becoming increasingly difficult following his previous sanctions.

Lewis Hamilton Hungarian GP penalty extends difficult run

The number of penalties received by Lewis Hamilton during the 2026 season continues to rise. After the sanction imposed in qualifying for impeding Oscar Piastri, the Ferrari driver had collected four penalties across the previous six race weekends, including three during the last three events.

The qualifying penalty had already affected Lewis Hamilton’s prospects by dropping him to fifth on the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix starting grid. By the end of Sunday’s race, however, that disciplinary record required another update.

Ferrari strategy error followed by Lewis Hamilton mistake

Ferrari made a costly strategic decision by requiring Lewis Hamilton to complete an additional pit stop during the race. The British driver then compounded the team’s mistake by exceeding the pit-lane speed limit during that stop, earning another five-second penalty.

It was a significant error from the seven-time world champion and ultimately cost him a further position. Once the sanction was applied after the chequered flag, Charles Leclerc moved ahead of his Ferrari team-mate in the final classification.

The outcome was particularly disappointing because Ferrari had entered the race with confidence in its Hungarian GP race pace. Instead, strategic mistakes and Lewis Hamilton’s penalty prevented the team from maximising its potential in Budapest.

Lewis Hamilton vents his frustration over the radio

Lewis Hamilton’s understandable frustration emerged over the team radio after the race. Sounding like a footballer exasperated by repeatedly having fouls awarded against him, the Ferrari driver complained about his recent disciplinary run.

“Every time I give these stewards an opportunity, they give me a penalty!” Lewis Hamilton said after the Hungarian Grand Prix.

His irritation had already been evident while the race was still under way. In another terse radio message, Lewis Hamilton remarked: “There you go, they’re handing out penalties left, right and centre.”

The latest sanction represents another setback in Lewis Hamilton’s attempt to bring the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship back to Maranello and secure a record eighth world title. After more points were lost in Hungary, achieving that ambition has become considerably more difficult.