Lewis Hamilton received a five‑second penalty at the Hungarian Grand Prix for exceeding the pit‑lane speed limit by a measly 0.1 km/h.
The 21‑year‑old dropped from a cross‑line fourth to fifth, turning a potential podium into a mid‑field finish.
FIA stewards confirmed the Ferraris alarm sounded at an exact 80.1 km/h, one‑tenth of a kilometre over the 80 km/h cap.
Expert baffled by onboard footage
Anton Davidson, ex‑driver and Sky Sports pundit, reviewed the cockpit video and found no visible breach of the limit.
“I cannot see why he got a penalty,” Davidson said. “The marker board on the left marks the 80‑km/h line. Ferrari told us the entry was the issue, but I see none.”
He noted the timing of the pit‑lane button release at the green light and the sound of the shift, suggesting ambiguity near the white‑line boundary.
Hamilton defends his strategy
In the post‑race interview, Hamilton maintained the stop was needless, claiming his tyres were fine and he could have pushed for third.
The incident underscores how razor‑thin margins can rewrite a race, as a single record‑keeping error costs a driver a brighter podium spot.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images
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