Hamilton reflects on ‘costly mistakes’ at Hungarian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton expressed frustration following the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he finished fifth, citing a series of “costly mistakes” that have impacted his recent performances. Despite Ferrari’s pace, Hamilton was unable to convert his qualifying position into a podium finish, marking another challenging race in his title ambitions.
Hamilton’s weekend began with a strong qualifying performance, placing him second, only 0.012s behind Lando Norris’ pole position. However, this was short-lived as he incurred a three-place grid penalty for impeding Oscar Piastri during the final stage of qualifying. This penalty forced him to start Sunday’s race with a focus on “damage limitation.”
Race Day Challenges and Penalties
Starting on soft tyres, which initially appeared to be the optimal compound for Ferrari, Hamilton found himself in a thrilling battle with Max Verstappen. He later seemed to regain contention for a podium spot after a pit stop under a Virtual Safety Car (VSC). However, he was compelled to allow Kimi Antonelli to pass for third position to avoid a penalty for overtaking under VSC conditions.
Further compounding his difficulties, Hamilton received a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane. This penalty, combined with his teammate Charles Leclerc closing the gap in the final laps, ultimately relegated Hamilton to fifth place at the chequered flag.
Hamilton admitted that the pit-lane speeding sanction was his second penalty of the weekend at the Hungaroring, following the grid drop for impeding Piastri. He also noted that he had received five-second penalties in each of the two preceding races. Last week in Belgium, he was penalised for colliding with George Russell on the opening lap, and a fortnight prior at Silverstone, he received the same sanction for a jump start.
Reflecting on Recent Performances
Reflecting on the race, Hamilton stated, “Obviously frustrated, disappointed to come away with so little, given the car was good.” He acknowledged the team’s efforts, adding, “The team did a great job, but ultimately these last few races have been costly with mistakes from myself.”
When asked about the first half of the season, Hamilton described it as “OK” but conceded, “It’s not been perfect from my side, so I’ve really got to work hard to try to figure out how I can do better in the second half.” His fifth-place finish meant he lost further points to Antonelli in the Drivers’ Championship, with Antonelli now holding a 50-point advantage as Formula 1 enters its summer break.
Hamilton also questioned the decision to make a third pit stop under the VSC, suggesting it “opened the door” for his latest penalty. He explained that the call came just before the pit lane entry, leaving him no time to debate, and he had to trust the decision. In hindsight, he felt his tyres were fine and believed he could have maintained at least third place, despite likely losing out to Max Verstappen.
Team’s Perspective and Future Outlook
Charles Leclerc shared a similar sentiment of disappointment, as Ferrari failed to capitalise on their initial promise at the Hungaroring. Despite starting on the front row, Leclerc missed out on a third consecutive podium. He lost several positions at the start and later suggested that an alternative strategy might have been beneficial. Ultimately, he also made three pit stops and finished fourth after Hamilton’s penalty was applied.
Leclerc noted that the opening lap was a critical moment and that the team had overestimated the grip on the inside of the track. He highlighted the need for analysis, especially given that Friday’s performance was positive, but suggested that Mercedes appeared to be running very low engine modes and subsequently gained significant performance.
Despite the recent setbacks, Hamilton remains optimistic about Ferrari’s prospects for the rest of the season. He expressed gratitude to the team for their efforts in the first half of the year. He acknowledged that his own performance in the last three races “have not been great,” citing “lots of mistakes” and penalties. He vowed to avoid further penalties moving forward. The Formula 1 season is set to resume after the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix from August 21-23.
Source: formula1.com
As NewsUK's Senior Football Correspondent, Thomas Beckwith reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He reported on three World Cups for a national news agency. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Thomas lives in Sheffield, where he watches lower-league football most weekends. “Football writing is about the decisions, not just the result.”
