The Brazilian Grand Prix fallout just went nuclear.
Formula 1’s biggest names are furious with the FIA after shocking new details emerged about Lewis Hamilton’s controversial 5-second penalty, a decision now being called “a disgrace to the sport.” The revelation has reignited long-standing accusations of bias, inconsistency, and incompetence within F1’s governing body — and the drivers have had enough.
It all began on a chaotic afternoon at Interlagos, where Hamilton started 13th on the grid. Early on, a brush with Carlos Sainz left his car — the Ferrari SF25 — severely damaged, its aerodynamic balance completely off. Moments later, as he attempted to fight back through the field, Hamilton made slight contact with Franco Colapinto’s Alpine in a low-speed corner.
The FIA stewards were quick to act: a 5-second time penalty for “causing a collision.” But what they didn’t take into account, according to insiders, was that Hamilton’s car was already crippled by earlier damage — making control nearly impossible. That oversight has now become the spark for a full-blown storm.
“It’s not racing anymore,” one anonymous driver told reporters. “It’s politics and guesswork. The FIA decides what they want to see.”
According to leaked telemetry and internal analysis, Hamilton’s steering and downforce were severely compromised following the Sainz collision. That loss of grip meant his minor contact with Colapinto was unavoidable, yet the FIA still blamed him entirely.
Team sources say Ferrari presented this data post-race — but the stewards refused to reopen the case. “That’s what’s really got people angry,” said a senior team engineer. “They ignored evidence that proved Lewis wasn’t in full control. It’s embarrassing.”
Now, rival drivers — usually silent about penalties that don’t involve them — are openly fuming. Multiple team radios and post-race comments captured words like “inconsistent,” “ridiculous,” and “a joke.” Even veterans are weighing in, saying this isn’t about Hamilton — it’s about a broken system.
This controversy is just the latest in a string of incidents fueling claims that the FIA’s stewarding is erratic and opaque. From Verstappen’s Monaco investigation to Norris’s time penalty in Qatar, drivers have accused officials of moving the goalposts from one weekend to the next.
“Every race, it’s different,” one team principal said. “You never know what’s allowed until it’s too late. That’s not a rulebook — that’s roulette.”
Calls for reform are now booming across the paddock. Top names are demanding the FIA include more former drivers as full-time stewards, arguing that those who’ve actually raced at this level are better equipped to understand real-world racing scenarios.
“You can’t govern F1 from a desk,” said one outspoken competitor. “You’ve got to know what it feels like in the car at 200 mph.”
For Hamilton, the penalty cost valuable points in a season already marked by unpredictability. For the FIA, it’s a credibility crisis.
Fans and journalists are calling the decision “another black eye” for the sport — one that could undermine the legitimacy of the championship itself if left unaddressed. Social media exploded overnight, with hashtags like #FIAOut, #JusticeForLewis, and #FixF1 trending worldwide. Clips of the incident have been viewed millions of times, with side-by-side comparisons showing similar incidents from other drivers that went unpunished.
Sources say an emergency meeting could be held before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as team principals push for immediate procedural changes. But whether the FIA will act — or simply double down — remains to be seen.
For now, one thing is clear: the drivers are done staying quiet. And if the FIA doesn’t clean up its act soon, Formula 1 could be heading toward its biggest governance meltdown since Abu Dhabi 2021.
Because in a sport built on milliseconds and trust — the moment faith in fairness is gone, the race is already lost.
