Ferrari Explains “Succession of Mistakes” Behind Lewis Hamilton’s Latest FIA Penalty at Hungarian GP

Ferrari Explains “Succession of Mistakes” Behind Lewis Hamilton’s Latest FIA Penalty at Hungarian GP 😮😲

 

Lewis Hamilton’s frustrating Hungarian Grand Prix weekend has taken another dramatic turn after Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur explained how a “succession of mistakes” contributed to the seven-time world champion’s latest five-second penalty.

 

Hamilton arrived at the Hungaroring with genuine hopes of challenging for victory after Ferrari showed impressive pace throughout practice and qualifying. However, what promised to be a major opportunity quickly turned into another difficult weekend, with a series of small setbacks eventually costing the Ferrari star a potential podium.

 

The biggest blow came late in the race.

 

Hamilton was battling at the front when Ferrari brought him into the pits during a Virtual Safety Car period triggered by Oscar Piastri’s retirement. The decision immediately became a major talking point, particularly because Hamilton had been running as high as second and believed his tyres were still capable of going further.

 

After the stop, Hamilton found himself fighting to recover lost ground. Then came another costly moment: he was handed a five-second penalty for exceeding the pit-lane speed limit by just 0.1 km/h.

 

That penalty ultimately changed the final classification. Hamilton finished fourth on the road but dropped to fifth after the five-second addition, behind Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc.

 

But Vasseur believes the penalty cannot be viewed in isolation.

 

According to the Ferrari boss, a chain of small errors unfolded during the pit stop. Hamilton locked a wheel on his way into the stop, Ferrari lost time during the tyre change, and Hamilton then appears to have activated the pit-lane speed limiter slightly too early while trying to recover the lost time.

 

Vasseur described it as a “succession of mistakes”, suggesting that one small error created pressure that contributed to another.

 

The Ferrari boss also admitted that the team itself had plenty to answer for after a weekend in which almost everything appeared to go against the Scuderia.

 

Ferrari had looked extremely competitive early in the Hungarian weekend, but Hamilton was handed a three-place grid penalty after being judged to have impeded Piastri during qualifying. That dropped him from second on the grid to fifth for the race.

 

During the Grand Prix, Hamilton then battled Max Verstappen for position before Ferrari’s strategy and the late pit stop left him fighting to recover another lost opportunity. Vasseur acknowledged that Ferrari repeatedly lost small amounts of time during pit stops and failed to convert its pace into the result it expected.

 

Hamilton himself has also accepted responsibility for his recent difficulties.

 

After finishing fifth, the Ferrari driver admitted that the last few races had not been perfect from his side and said he needed to work hard during the summer break to return stronger. He also acknowledged that he must avoid giving the stewards further opportunities to penalise him.

 

The latest penalty is particularly significant because it comes amid a difficult run for Hamilton. His Hungarian penalties were his fourth across three consecutive race weekends, following incidents at Silverstone and Spa.

 

Despite the frustration, there remains a positive side for Hamilton and Ferrari: the pace of the SF-26 appears strong enough to challenge at the front. The problem in Hungary was not simply a lack of speed — it was Ferrari and Hamilton failing to turn that speed into the result they were capable of achieving.

 

Hamilton now heads into the summer break 50 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, making the second half of the season increasingly important.

 

For Ferrari, Vasseur’s message is clear: the Hungarian weekend must become a lesson rather than a lasting setback.

 

And for Hamilton, the challenge is equally clear — put the mistakes behind him, regain consistency and make sure the next time Ferrari gives him a front-running car, he is ready to take full advantage.

 

The speed is there. Now Ferrari and Hamilton need the execution to match it.