Herbert: Lewis Hamilton's Hungary penalty was his own fault

Former FIA steward Johnny Herbert has defended the FIA amid Lewis Hamilton's recent penalty streak, insisting the Ferrari driver's pit-lane speeding penalty in Hungary was entirely self-inflicted.

Hamilton heads into the summer break with four penalties from his last three races, including a five-second punishment for exceeding the 80 km/h pit-lane limit by just 0.1 km/h after releasing his pit limiter too early. The seven-time champion suggested stewards were penalizing him at every opportunity and revealed the FIA admitted his Silverstone false-start penalty was incorrect.

Why it matters:

With Hamilton second in the 2026 standings, 50 points behind Mercedes' championship leader Kimi Antonelli, every point is crucial in Ferrari's title chase. Herbert's defense of the stewards reignites debate over whether Hamilton's complaints reflect genuine bias or frustration over uncharacteristic errors during a tight championship battle.

The details:

• Herbert dismissed claims of steward bias, stating rules are "plain and simple" and that consistency across the four stewards is crucial for the grid.
• He called the Hungary speeding infringement "Hamilton's fault, full stop," suggesting the driver of a decade ago would not have made such a basic mistake.
• Hamilton's penalty run includes the Hungary speeding violation and the Silverstone false start, with the FIA reportedly conceding the latter was wrongly issued.
• Herbert stressed stewards do not target individuals, noting that ignoring guidelines would "rile the drivers" and create bigger problems.

What's next:

Hamilton faces a 50-point deficit to Antonelli heading into the second half of the season, leaving little margin for further errors. Whether the Ferrari driver can recapture the precision Herbert associates with his peak years may determine if Ferrari can mount a credible championship challenge.