Hamilton Frustrated by 'Nuts' Mexico Penalty After Verstappen Clash

Lewis Hamilton has expressed his disbelief, calling it "kind of nuts," that he was the sole driver penalized for corner-cutting at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Hamilton received a 10-second time penalty for "leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage" during an intense early battle with Max Verstappen, a decision he believes was unfairly applied.

Why it matters:

Consistency in penalty application is a long-standing point of contention in F1, directly impacting race outcomes and championship dynamics. Hamilton's frustration highlights the perceived disparity in how similar incidents are judged, reigniting debates about fairness and the clarity of racing rules, especially concerning track limits and gaining advantage.

The Details:

• Hamilton was penalized for cutting Turn 4 after locking up, emerging ahead of Verstappen. Stewards cited a "lasting advantage" for overtaking Verstappen without returning the position.
• Verstappen's Incidents: Verstappen cut Turn 3 to take third place and also locked up, cutting Turn 1 after an aggressive move on Russell. Neither of these incidents resulted in a penalty for him.
• Stewards' Justification: For Hamilton's Turn 4 incident, the stewards acknowledged he couldn't follow the prescribed "yellow line" due to excessive speed but still deemed a lasting advantage was gained over Verstappen.
• Regarding the Turn 1 contact between Verstappen and Hamilton, stewards ruled it a racing incident, stating Verstappen was entitled to the racing line and Hamilton had limited space.
• For Verstappen cutting Turn 3, the stewards investigated Hamilton for not leaving enough room, ultimately deeming it a racing incident without penalizing Verstappen.

Between the lines:

George Russell, Hamilton's Mercedes teammate, openly stated his confusion over Verstappen avoiding penalties for cutting two corners. Russell criticized the track design at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, suggesting it acts as a "get-out-of-jail-free card" for drivers who make mistakes, pointing to a recurring issue with corner-cutting at this circuit in previous years involving drivers like Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. He argued that the lack of gravel at these corners encourages drivers to take excessive risks, undermining fair play.

What's next:

The controversy surrounding penalty consistency and track limits is likely to persist as F1 heads to Brazil for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. This recurring issue may prompt further discussions among drivers, teams, and the FIA on how to ensure more equitable enforcement of racing rules, particularly at circuits prone to such incidents. The outcome of these discussions could influence future track modifications or rule clarifications.