Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari driver says Mexico City GP penalty against Max Verstappen was 'kind of crazy'

Lewis Hamilton says “it’s a bit crazy”, he was the only driver to be penalized for cutting a corner during the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Hamilton was given a 10-second time penalty for “leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage” in his heated battle with Max Verstappen early in the race.

The pair went wheel-to-wheel through Turns 1 and 2 before Verstappen cut Turn 3 to take third. On the run down to Turn 4, Hamilton tried to go around the outside of Verstappen but locked up, cut the corner and got out in front of the Red Bull driver.

“It felt like driving,” said Hamilton, who went on to finish the race in eighth.

“I was fine there. It was just the cut. Then I’m the only one who got a 10-second penalty. It was kind of crazy.”

Hamilton faced two investigations for cutting Turn 4, the first for not following the stewards’ notes not to go through the run-off zone, plus having gained an advantage.

He avoided a penalty for the former, but the stewards believe that Hamilton should have given Verstappen the position back.

They said: “Car 44 (HAM) locked brakes, left the track at Turn 4 and used the grass area while merging towards Turn 5. As the driver was unable to follow the route prescribed by the Race Director along the ‘yellow line’ due to excessive speed, no breach of the Race Director’s Notes is deemed to have occurred.

“However, by leaving the track and cutting the corner, the driver gained a lasting advantage by overtaking Car 1 (VER) and failed to give the position back thereafter. The standard penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage is therefore imposed.”

Russell confused as stewards explain no penalty to Verstappen

Ahead of Turn 4, Verstappen and Hamilton had less contact at Turn 1 as the Red Bull driver went for an aggressive overtake. The stewards considered this to be a racing incident.

But Verstappen cut turn 3, but the stewards actually checked Hamilton and whether he left enough room.

They said: “Car 1 (VER) overtook car 44 (HAM) on the inside of Turn 1. In the lead, VER’s front axle was clearly in front of HAM’s mirror and therefore VER was entitled to the racing line. HAM remained sideways through the corner, resulting in light contact between the wheels of both cars. The contact had no consequences for either car.

“Given that HAM had limited opportunity to leave additional space on the track, that both cars were side by side throughout the corner, and that there was no sporting consequence of the contact, and noting that in similar incidents in the past no further action was taken, the stewards determined that the matter falls within a racing incident.”

Mercedes’ George Russell says he “doesn’t understand” how Verstappen avoided a penalty for cutting two corners during the race.

Verstappen started fifth but had a better launch than fourth-place Russell and went four-wide with Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Hamilton in a thrilling race to Turn 1.

But the Dutchman locked up, cut the corner and let Hamilton slip through to drop to fourth, which Russell feels was unfair.

“I don’t understand how three drivers can cut the first corner and just continue in the position they came into,” Russell told Sky Sports F1.

“It’s like giving yourself permission to risk everything, and you just have a get-out-of-jail-free card if you’re wrong.”

Regarding the Verstappen and Hamilton incidents, Russell continued: “Obviously when Max and Lewis came together, Lewis got a penalty and rightly so – but Max was off the track and came back.

“It was the wrong place and the wrong time for me and I lost three positions. I was obviously quite frustrated, but it all stemmed from the first lap.”

It is not the first time that cornering has been an issue at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with Verstappen penalized in 2016 after the race following a thrilling battle with Sebastian Vettel, and Russell also pointed to an incident with Carlos Sainz last year.

“At the end of the day, it’s down to the circuit, and there’s this get-out-of-jail-free card. If there was gravel, then nobody would be there,” he said.

“We’ve seen it almost every year we’ve been here. It was Carlos last year and Charles the year before or Lewis 10 years ago. It’s like a lawnmower race.

“Something has to change. It doesn’t really have to be this way.”

Formula 1’s exciting title race continues in Brazil with a sprint weekend at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on 7-9. November, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime