Hamilton hit with post-Singapore GP penalty after brake meltdown

Lewis Hamilton’s tense Singapore Grand Prix ended in frustration after the Ferrari driver was handed a post-race five-second penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits while struggling with a critical brake issue on his Ferrari in the closing laps of Sunday’s event.

The sanction dropped the seven-time world champion from seventh to eighth in the final classification – and capped a chaotic end to an otherwise gritty drive.

Hamilton had been hunting down Mercedes protégé Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the battle for fifth when disaster struck. Having been waved through by Scuderia teammate Charles Leclerc to attack the young Italian, Hamilton quickly closed the gap – only for his car’s braking system to begin disintegrating.

Sparks were seen flying from the left-front wheel as his SF-75 began shedding speed erratically through the corners. The issue worsened at Turn 16, where Hamilton went wide and left the track entirely, desperately trying to keep control of a car that no longer wanted to slow down.

Within moments, the 39-year-old’s pace collapsed. He ceded sixth place back to Leclerc as the Ferrari pit wall urged caution, and his lead over Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin – which had been a comfortable 30 seconds – evaporated in the space of two laps.

By the time the chequered flag waved, Hamilton clung on to seventh place by just four-tenths of a second over Alonso, who was left fuming over the seven-time world champion’s defensive tactics.

“Is it safe to drive with no brakes?!”

Alonso’s fury was immediate and unfiltered over team radio as he raged behind the wounded Ferrari.

“I cannot f***ing believe it,” the Spaniard shouted repeatedly. “Is it safe to drive with no brakes?!”

The outburst reflected a tense closing phase, as Hamilton repeatedly went off-track to keep his car pointing straight – triggering a black-and-white flag for track limits violations on the penultimate lap.

The stewards wasted no time announcing an investigation, citing a potential breach of Article 33.3 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, which governs track limits and driver conduct.

Stewards: “Not a justifiable reason”

Ferrari’s hopes of keeping seventh were dashed shortly after the race when the stewards confirmed the five-second penalty.

In their verdict, they acknowledged Hamilton’s braking issues but ruled they did not exempt him from the usual standards of track adherence.

“During the hearing, the driver confirmed that he left the track at several occasions,” the stewards’ report read. “He was trying to manage a brakes issue situation.

“This being said, after further investigation, and in accordance with the list of exemptions foreseen in the Driving Standards Guidelines, the Stewards considered that this was not a justifiable reason and apply the usual penalty for such type of infringement.

“This was not contested by the team representative nor the driver.”

• 2025 Singapore Grand Prix - Race results

The decision cost Hamilton one position, dropping him behind Alonso and leaving Ferrari to settle for a modest points haul from what had promised to be a double-top-six finish for the Italian outfit.

For Hamilton, it was another tough Sunday at the races. And for Ferrari, it was a reminder that in Singapore’s suffocating heat, even the smallest mechanical gremlin can turn a strong finish into a smoky, sliding fight for survival.

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