Lewis Hamilton faced a heavy penalty in Mexico, and Ferrari team principal Fréd Vasseur openly disagreed with the FIA’s decision. The Frenchman did not hold back in his criticism of the stewards following the incident.
Starting from third on the grid, Hamilton had a decent launch in the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix, but it was not enough to overtake teammate Charles Leclerc. He made slight contact with Charles Leclerc at the first corner, and a few laps later, he engaged in a fierce battle with Max Verstappen. During an overtaking attempt, Hamilton went off track and cut the chicane, resulting in a ten-second penalty. Frederic Vasseur considered the penalty excessive and too harsh for the situation.
Lewis Hamilton’s negative streak of missing podiums with Ferrari continues, reaching a total of twenty races without a top-three finish. The Mexican GP was perhaps the closest the seven-time world champion came to securing his first podium of the season, only to see his effort nullified by the penalty after the duel with Max Verstappen. With just four races remaining, Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari are eager to salvage some positive results in what has been an extremely challenging season.
Vasseur’s anger over Hamilton’s penalty
Frederic Vasseur commented on the penalty, saying: “I think the penalty for Lewis is severe. We cannot contest it because he did not follow the instructions, but ten seconds is really a lot. He lost four or five positions because of this, it is a huge punishment. The penalty itself is understandable—he did not follow the race director’s guidance—but ten seconds, I cannot recall anyone ever receiving ten seconds. Looking at the overall picture, Max cut the corner before, he cut the chicane on the grass for about 100 meters. You [the stewards] have to understand what you are doing. This probably cost us fourth place; even with five seconds we might still have finished fourth. But ten seconds…”
These statements were made by the Ferrari team principal in an interview with Sky Sport F1 after the Mexican GP. Ferrari could not do anything to overturn Hamilton’s penalty since the seven-time world champion had indeed not adhered to FIA guidelines. However, the ten-second penalty was what frustrated the team, as it seemed disproportionate to the infraction committed by the British driver.
Ferrari’s strategic choices and weekend performance
Regarding Charles Leclerc, Frederic Vasseur explained: “The plan with Charles was a one-stop strategy, which was the standard approach for everyone initially. When some of the drivers behind started pitting, they influenced each other. We did not change our plan. In the end, Charles managed the race very well and secured a great result.”
Overall, the French team principal can be satisfied with Ferrari’s weekend, as the squad finally returned to form following a turbulent post-summer break. After Austin, Charles Leclerc achieved his second consecutive podium, celebrating his fiftieth career podium with Ferrari in Mexico. It is also notable that all seven of Ferrari’s podiums this season bear his mark. Now the team’s focus shifts to the Brazilian GP, where Ferrari will aim to confirm the progress made so far in 2025.
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