FIA Reprimands Hamilton but Keeps British GP Podium After Yellow Flag Investigation

Posted : 06 July 2026

Lewis Hamilton will retain his third-place finish at the 2026 British Grand Prix after the FIA stewards concluded that a reprimand, rather than a time penalty, was the appropriate punishment for a yellow flag infringement during Sunday's race at Silverstone.

The Ferrari driver had already endured a difficult afternoon after receiving a five-second penalty for a false start. He served that penalty during his first pit stop before recovering to finish third behind teammate Charles Leclerc and Mercedes driver George Russell.

Hamilton's result remained under review after the race when the stewards investigated whether he had failed to slow sufficiently under a single yellow flag at Turn 9 on lap 38. A post-race time penalty could have dropped him well outside the points because the race ended behind the Safety Car.

After reviewing telemetry, onboard footage, timing data, and marshalling system information, the FIA determined that Hamilton entered the affected sector before any yellow flag or yellow light panel had been activated. The stewards also found that the yellow warning only appeared briefly on his steering wheel display while he was already approaching the end of the caution zone.

The FIA noted that there were no visible yellow light panels within Hamilton's immediate field of vision. It also accepted that the seven-time world champion had just completed an overtaking move on Max Verstappen and was watching his mirrors in anticipation of a counterattack, leaving him with very little time to react to the warning.

However, the stewards ruled that Hamilton did not make a noticeable reduction in speed after the yellow indication appeared on his steering wheel. That meant he had not fully complied with the requirements for a single yellow flag.

Despite that finding, officials concluded that the combination of limited reaction time, the late appearance of the warning, and the circumstances surrounding his battle with Verstappen justified issuing only a reprimand instead of a sporting penalty.

The decision means Hamilton keeps his podium finish at his home Grand Prix, while Ferrari celebrates a double podium after Leclerc secured victory and Hamilton finished third. The reprimand is Hamilton's first of the 2026 Formula 1 season and carries no impact on his race result or championship points.

The outcome also closes what had been one of the final talking points of an eventful British Grand Prix, ensuring Ferrari leaves Silverstone with maximum reward from an impressive weekend.

FIA Reprimands Hamilton but Keeps British GP Podium After Yellow Flag Investigation

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics