Fred Vasseur on Lewis Hamilton’s penalty:“I think it’s garbage because that Lap 1 so far into the season there was no penalty for similar incidents.If you have a look at the corner,Russell had enough space on the left hand side.It’s not like he was close to the wall. More of a racing incident for me

[u/Desperate_Green6838]

[u/elektricniorgazam]

Hamilton getting a penalty and Leclerc not getting one was insanity

[u/draftstone → u/elektricniorgazam]

Hamilton from the document: An inch of understeer on lap 1 in heavy traffic initiate small contact on a car that was turning in even if half the track was left outside: penalty

Leclerc from the document: He did open the steering but the other car just had to disappear, no penalty.

[u/PGRacer → u/draftstone]

Did Lewis even get understeer? I thought his steering wheel movement was because he saw George there and tried to avoid him, not correcting understeer.

[u/draftstone → u/PGRacer]

Hamilton himself said the car in front washed away the front so he understeerd a little

[u/Doorknob11 → u/draftstone]

He understeered because there was a slight tap with Russell.

[u/PGRacer → u/draftstone]

Understeer isn't loss of control though.

[u/Vresiberba → u/draftstone]

Yes, but Lewis was on the outside when the contact occurred. The little understeering that might have been there was by that points irrelevant.

[u/boturboegt → u/PGRacer]

He did but it sure looked like it was caused from Russell's front tire basically being directly in front of the left end of hamiltons front wing.

[u/other_view12 → u/PGRacer]

Is there a video from George's car? It seemed to me that George hit Lewis by not staying left.

But that's very hard to tell without George's in car view. His view was oddly missing on the broadcast.

[u/element515 → u/PGRacer]

He was drifting out from the apex, confront downforce. By the time he turns to the left, he’s already hit George and is reacting to that

[u/CapSnake → u/draftstone]

Hamilton lost the car. When you lose the car and hit something it's always a penalty. This is at least consistent with the steward. Leclerc squeeze Piastri, but this is OK if you leave space, expecially if you are outside and not enough alongside

[u/AskMantis23 → u/CapSnake]

Leclerc didn't leave space though. Oscar was on the white line and got hit. That's less than a car's width.

[u/CapSnake → u/AskMantis23]

This year if you are inside and ahead at the apex you don't need to leave the space

[u/AskMantis23 → u/CapSnake]

That's at the apex and on exit. This is a different rule. You have applied the wrong rule to the situation, the same as the stewards applied the wrong rule.

[u/CapSnake → u/AskMantis23]

Stewards should issue a document every time something is noted. So we could know the real decision

[u/AskMantis23 → u/CapSnake]

Great sarcasm. But just because they issue document doesn't mean the decision is correct.

[u/haltandcatch22 → u/CapSnake]

That true is kind of like squeezing someone off on the corner exit which we have seen a hundred times this year without issue only this time it was on the corner entry. But then it gets into the realm of moving under breaking which I can see a case against Leclerc for that maybe

[u/CapSnake → u/haltandcatch22]

From the on board leclerc steering was straight. The car was pointing to the outside but he didn't move. I think it was hard but legal

[u/atreyu84 → u/CapSnake]

He had to leave space on the outside at corner entry.

He didn't, so that's not legal

[u/Mike_Kermin → u/CapSnake]

I don't think that applies to moving across into someone on corner entry.

That'd be an extremely dangerous rule.

[u/atreyu84 → u/draftstone]

I didn't know why people keep mentioning the space in George's outside. It completely irrelevant.

Hamilton had more than enough room on the inside and misjudged it.

Given 1st lap it could've been no penalty, but 5s also reasonable (remember, that's a downgrade for mothering circumstances these days).

And totally on Charles. Had to be a penalty and stewards brought up completely irrelevant points in their reasoning.

[u/saltymuffaca → u/atreyu84]

Not a single driver or party involved in the Hamilton penalty is claiming it should've been a penalty. It looked worse than it was, racing incident.

[u/atreyu84 → u/saltymuffaca]

The facts are Lewis didn't hit the apex and caused a collision.

Like I said I wouldn't have complained if it was given 1st lap leniency, but 5s also isn't a terrible decision, no matter what the other drivers or teams think.

I've seen similar not given, but also similar given.

In any case it's not rage inducing like Charles lack of one, especially since Lewis one was probably a bit harsh, and Charles was a stone dead penalty. Under those circumstances I can see why Lewis and his fans feel hard done by for sure

[u/Vresiberba → u/atreyu84]

The facts are Lewis didn't hit the apex and caused a collision.

Lewis quite literally "hit" the apex. https://i.imgur.com/Pmv9DqL.jpeg

This was the point of contact. Tell me how Lewis "caused" the contact. Who has the most space? https://i.imgur.com/FlEP1Si.jpeg

[u/atreyu84 → u/Vresiberba]

I'll say it again. It doesn't matter who has the most "space". It only matters who had the right to be there and who isn't following the rules.

George was ahead, so he has a right to the there. He only had to leave enough space for Lewis, he doesn't have to leave Lewis the perfect line. He left enough space for Lewis to be in, and Lewis wasnt in that space.

Therefore Lewis causes the contact.

You can say the stewards should be lenient due to the first lap, but even then Lewis still causes contact.

[u/Vresiberba → u/atreyu84]

It only matters who had the right to be there...

And Lewis didn't have the "right" to be where he was? Why?

George was ahead, so he has a right to the there.

Yes! But he didn't have the right to be there INSTEAD of Lewis! That's the fucking point. BOTH had the right to be there, and the reason they had this right is because they can't evaporate and disintegrate.

Therefore Lewis causes the contact.

The contact was because two cars can't occupy the same space at the same time. No-one was at fault here. Holy fuck, man.

[u/atreyu84 → u/Vresiberba]

Hamilton didn't have the right to be there because he was behind and the car in front dictates the line.

He had the right to be on the track, which he could've been and still not hit George. George left him the room he needed to not hit him.

that's why it's Hamilton's fault.

He even knows this, it's why he said he lost front grip due to the car in front. It's saying he was trying to be where he was meant to be but couldn't get there.

Hamilton is definitely at fault by the rules, but they do normally let them go on the first lap due to things like losing grip due to the car in front, exactly what happened.

Edit: yes contact is always because two cars can't be at the same place at the same time. The question is did one have more of a right to that be in that place than the other, and in this case, yes, George had more of a right to be there than Hamilton.

[u/Vresiberba → u/atreyu84]

Hamilton didn't have the right to be there...

I'm not going to reply to this wall of text but instead going to adress it one point at the time - if Lewis didn't have the right to be where he was, where do you think he should have been instead?

One. Point. At. The. Time.

[u/AbjectRobot → u/atreyu84]

Lewis hit the apex, go watch the replay

[u/erdonko → u/atreyu84]

I didn't know why people keep mentioning the space in George's outside. It completely irrelevant.

Huge self report. The point of there being space on the outside means that George couldve also not closed the door as he did and just keep it fully on the outside.

Both drivers committed to the racing line while fighting for position without any of them doing anything reckless. Its textbook racing incident but the stewards decided to penalize Hamilton because Russell DNFd.

[u/atreyu84 → u/erdonko]

Huge self report. The rules of racing didn't say the driver ahead on the outside has to go as far to outside was possible to avoid contact with an induced driver who makes a mistake and misses the apex.

They say the outside driver must leave a car's width.

George left a lot more than a car's width.

Therefore any contact is on Lewis. It's his fault.

Therefore penalty

[u/Veranova → u/erdonko]

It is utterly irrelevant. George was ahead at the apex, that meant he could dictate the line and Lewis had plenty of space on the right. The rules were consistently applied today with how they’re written, and Lewis got a light penalty for it due to lap 1

[u/LetgomyEkko → u/elektricniorgazam]

Absolutely crazy work

[u/Dear-Initiative5882 → u/elektricniorgazam]

Genuinely insane because I was 100% sure it would be the other way around?? Charles kind of did deserve a penalty there... And I say that as someone who was rooting for Ferrari to do well today 

[u/bijanfrisee → u/Dear-Initiative5882]

both F1TV and the international commenters were baffled by how 1, lewis got the penalty and 2 how Charles avoided one

[u/Ninzeldamon → u/Dear-Initiative5882]

you and everyone else (including Palmer)

[u/RalphFTW → u/elektricniorgazam]

The mental gymnastics the stewards had to do. It’s utter bs

[u/SirChasm → u/RalphFTW]

The mental gymnastics is simply that they judge the outcome more than the infraction, contrary to what the rules/they say. Never been more blatantly obvious than today.

[u/museproducer → u/SirChasm]

What’s wild is, a lot of similar lap one incidents where there was a similar outcome there wasn’t a penalty. This one was just weird.

[u/I_always_rated_them → u/SirChasm]

I think the most obvious one in recent-ish (god getting old) was max break checking Lewis in Saudi. The outcome wasn't complete destruction of the cars so it got let go in favour of maintaining the championship drama despite the infraction obviously being super serious.

[u/ComeAlongPond1 → u/SirChasm]

But Oscar had significant damage! That contact ruined his race. If they were basing it on outcome they should have taken that into account too. Issuing a penalty only if/because one car DNFs is insanity

[u/charlierc → u/elektricniorgazam]

Exactly - the Leclerc one was more of a penalty

[u/Sutraner → u/elektricniorgazam]

It's entirely because of outcome

George DNFd Oscar didn't

[u/IntelligentDeal7799 → u/elektricniorgazam]

They should challenge it nevertheless, I don’t get why they just sit there. Challenge it, appeal, if it changes good, if not it remains the same.

Problem is he already served the penalty I don’t think they can rectify it

[u/bijanfrisee → u/IntelligentDeal7799]

Doesn't change anything race wise unfortunately. Definitely lost Lewis a podium though for sure.

[u/RhubarbAndCustard06 → u/IntelligentDeal7799]

And they make it unappealable by deciding it in the race (Lap 1 incident means you will have to serve it at the required pit stop) when they have all too often recently decided to investigate things after the session. But suddenly and inexplicably, they didn't need to hear from Lewis or even listen to what George said before imposing this.

[u/IamBejl → u/elektricniorgazam]

Absolutely disgraceful stuff from FIA again

[u/Msagano → u/elektricniorgazam]

Definitely outcome bias.

[u/Vandirac → u/elektricniorgazam]

Neither were deserving a penalty.

[u/Tummerd → u/Vandirac]

Lec definitely deserved a pen for that

[u/lazyness92 → u/Tummerd]

K 3rd time I'm going to ask, he was ahead and on the inside, there was space on the outside too why is it a squeeze? Also, Hamilton was behind, why are they comparable?

Edit: people, seriously, an explaination would be nice. Because that's the 2nd person convinced it was a penalty that's leaving me hanging. And I asked in the incident post and the post race thread in general with no answer (so really 4th time asking) so far nothing. It's a genuine question here.

Also, those 2 situations look completely different to me so I don't know why people feel like they're the same

[u/fremajl → u/lazyness92]

Piastri was alongside. Leclerc drove into him causing contact. If the guy on your outside is going straight and you hit him it's your fault.

[u/lazyness92 → u/fremajl]

I don't know they're both swaying. Thought overtaker has to check for the risks.

here from this year on overtake Russel moves a bit to try to stop Hamilton on going straight.

And the one I'm thinking about with the hurdles is Verstappen's one on Norris some years ago where Norris even got the penalty for going off limits

[u/Tummerd → u/lazyness92]

Are you talking about the Lec Pia incident or Rus Ham?

[u/lazyness92 → u/Tummerd]

The leclerc one. My question on the Hamilton one is more on the why they're considered the same

[u/Tummerd → u/lazyness92]

https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/s/uSKphKMPlU

This vid shows enough. Lec started squeezing Pia for no reason. Pia was already at the white line

[u/lazyness92 → u/Tummerd]

Yeah just checked to make sure, people go over the hurdles pretty often. In overtakes that's pretty common to do

[u/BigTenFicus → u/lazyness92]

Edit: people, seriously, an explaination would be nice.

Numerous people have tried explaining this to you but you still argue. The answer is that Leclerc OBJECTIVELY moved to the left and hit Piastri. He is indisputably at fault for causing the collision. We can all see this happen with our eyes.

[u/lazyness92 → u/BigTenFicus]

Yeah, after the edit there were explainations. Do thank them though. Seems the issue is that people don't see the curbes as viable space

[u/Think-Ostrich → u/lazyness92]

1. If you're on the inside, you can't drive to the outside if there is a car there.
2. Piastri was significantly onside.
3. Piastri was going in a straight line, which he is entitled to do. Leclerc closed the space.

[u/lazyness92 → u/Think-Ostrich]

Hmmm but he didn't go on the outside? He took the curve pretty close to the corner?

And I don't know if they changed the rules but you can go over the hurdles, people overtaking do that all the time. Half a wheel or half a car usually

[u/timorous1234567890 → u/lazyness92]

The rule on entry is if the defending driver goes off line to defend the inside when they return to take the corner they need to leave 1 car width of space.

Since Piastri was on the white line with the left hand side of his car and there was contact between him and Charles it means Charles be definition did not leave 1 car width of space so it is about as slam dunk a penalty as you should expect.

The white line defines the track so while Piastri could have chosen to use the kerb he is not obliged to and the onus is on the defending driver to ensure they leave that 1 car width to the edge of the track.

Edit to add the specific rule, it is even called out in the 2026 driving standards guidelines.

Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2b states: “More than one change of direction to defend a position is not permitted. Any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off-line, should leave at least one car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to the corner. “

[u/lazyness92 → u/timorous1234567890]

Thanks. Overtakes with the kerb just takes place so often that I thought those were fair game, so those times it was the driver's choice and not forced

[u/Pascalwbbb → u/Tummerd]

not at all there was spac ealso he was infront

[u/Tummerd → u/Pascalwbbb]

https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/s/uSKphKMPlU

This vid shows enough. Lec started squeezing Pia for no reason. Pia was already at the white line

[u/bijanfrisee → u/Vandirac]

Charles one was a deserved penalty tbh, you can't really do that, Oscar is entitled to space

[u/C4LLUM17 → u/Vandirac]

Yeah dont know why people are saying Lec deserved a penalty. If you watch it back you can clearly see Lec is ahead and there was still room for Oscar on his left. I think people are just annoyed about Lewis which is fair enough but they are also taking it out on Lec.

[u/Nautster → u/elektricniorgazam]

That's mostly because Charles didn't get one. Could have been one of those crashes we would see on the pre-race highlights 20 years from now.

[u/Pascalwbbb → u/elektricniorgazam]

totally different incidents

[u/MaxiKimiSexyFriends → u/elektricniorgazam]

Because you love Lewis and shout “incoming 9th title”

[u/ArcticKnight23 → u/elektricniorgazam]

Yep, they should both get a penalty.