Lewis Hamilton will carry a five‑second addition to his time after a pitlane speed limiter error at the Hungaroring.
Pitstop error unravels the session
During a virtual safety‑car stop on lap 56, Hamilton’s gearbox failed early, forcing teammate Oscar Piastri to jack up to the fourth corner. The stop’s lateness cut Hamilton from second to fourth in the order, but the real damage occurred on exit.
Ferrari’s systems sprung the pit‑lane limiter too soon; the driver was forced to accelerate 0.1 km/h over the limit, a breach that instantly branded a five‑second penalty.
Ferrari’s voice on the combined blow
Team boss Fred Vasseur said the Schneider‑penned look of fear in the team was understandable. “We made too many mistakes today,” he told Canal+, noting that the early release, loss of second place, and even holding onto the wheel a moment too long all compounded the faint‑print.
He added that doing one error tends to climb into more mistakes, “and this weekend is a clear example of that.”
Chef‑line of penalties for a champion
Three races have seen Hamilton roll up “penalties” this weekend: a false start at Silverstone, a five‑second hit for 0.1‑second over‑speeding at Hungary, and a contact‑sue with George Russell at the Belgian GP. The Belgian incident also produced a pit‑lane safety‑issue fine for Ferrari.
These incidents are a reminder that even a seasoned world‑champion is not immune to the fine motor errors that determine outcomes on the track.
Race‑day repercussions
With the pit‑stop drama piling onto the usual Turbulence, Hamilton’s 56th‑lap stop cost him the chance to challenge Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli – both of whom stayed out. He dropped to fifth behind teammate Charles Leclerc after the penalty was added.
While the team condemned the “defective” decision, it also hinted that the bounce‑back through the late‑season is still possible, chief only if the errors are cracked before the next session.
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