From the high-stakes drama of Abu Dhabi in 2021 to the searing frustration of the Mexico City Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton’s battles with the Formula 1 governing body, the FIA, have become a defining subplot of his storied career. But the seven-time World Champion is no longer simply battling for a race result; he is now openly fighting for the very soul of the sport, accusing the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile of critically lacking transparency and accountability in its most pivotal decisions.

The simmering tension reached a boiling point in the lead-up to the São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil, where Hamilton, speaking with a rare, charged blend of weariness and defiance, laid bare the crisis of confidence he and many within the paddock feel toward the sport’s ultimate arbiters.

The flashpoint for this latest, loudest response was a controversial 10-second penalty levied against Hamilton during a wheel-to-wheel clash with Max Verstappen at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The ruling was handed down for allegedly gaining a “lasting advantage” after venturing off-track. In the heat of the moment, the verdict stunned Hamilton, who was heard branding the call a succinct, furious “BS” over his team radio.

This single, three-letter outburst was more than just race-day frustration; it was a detonation of months, perhaps years, of pent-up anger over perceived inconsistencies and a lack of clear communication from the stewards’ room. The penalty shattered his chances of a top-four finish and contributed to the extension of his podium drought since joining Ferrari, making the sting of injustice all the more palpable.

What made the situation unbearable for Hamilton and his supporters was the perceived selectivity of the ruling. Other drivers, Hamilton noted, pulled similar off-track moves throughout the race weekend, yet managed to escape unpunished. When pressed by the media on whether he understood why he had been singled out, Hamilton’s response was a damning indictment of the system itself. “Not particularly,” he stated, his frustration clear in every syllable. “There isn’t any clarity. And I think that’s probably a part of the big issue: transparency and accountability, and also kind of like the secrecy that decisions are made in the background.”

This is not a champion complaining about a bad call; this is a legend demanding institutional reform. Hamilton’s call for change is not merely directed at a specific penalty, but at the entire opaque process by which F1 justice is dispensed. He argues that the secrecy shrouding these critical decisions erodes trust, not only among the drivers but among the millions of passionate fans watching worldwide. He believes these processes “definitely need to be tackled”, suggesting a behind-the-scenes effort to mandate greater openness.

The current friction, however, cannot be divorced from the most infamous decision in recent F1 history, a moment that will forever be entwined with Hamilton’s legacy: the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. That night, Hamilton was on the verge of clinching an unprecedented eighth world title, only for then-Race Director Michael Masi to bypass the FIA’s own rulebook regarding Safety Car procedure to restart the race for a single, final lap shootout. Max Verstappen, armed with fresh tires, seized the moment, snatching the championship in a twist that stunned the entire sporting world. That evening did more than just rewrite the record books; it fundamentally reshaped the narrative of Hamilton’s career and, crucially, his relationship with the sport’s officiating body.

Hamilton directly referenced the profound power stewards wield, echoing the lingering sense of injustice from 2021. “I don’t know if they’re aware of the weight of their decisions,” he reflected. “You know they ultimately steer careers, can decide results of championships, as you’ve seen in the past. So, yeah, some work needs to be done there, I’m sure.” This statement is the heart of his demand: the people steering Formula 1’s biggest moments must operate with the full consciousness that their choices have profound, career-altering, and even legacy-defining consequences. The opacity Hamilton is fighting against is the same lack of clarity that allowed the chaotic, rule-bending final moments of the 2021 season to unfold.

Meanwhile, the champion also took time to address swirling speculation regarding his own long-term future with Ferrari. Despite a difficult first season with the Scuderia, which has yielded a string of solid P4 finishes but failed to produce a Grand Prix podium, Hamilton shut down whispers that 20-year-old rookie Oliver Bearman might be tapped to replace him in 2027. With trademark composure, Hamilton asserted, “I have a pretty long contract. Normally when you do a contract, it’s usually the year before you start to talk about it. I’m a little bit far from that right now.” His multi-year deal, signed ahead of the 2025 season, remains firm, signaling his unwavering commitment to the Italian team despite the current performance struggles.

This commitment is taking place within a team under immense pressure. On the other side of the garage, Charles Leclerc didn’t mince words regarding Ferrari’s position in the Constructors’ Championship. For Formula 1’s “crown jewel,” a team steeped in unrivaled history and triumph, finishing second is simply “not acceptable”. The Scuderia’s current 17-year title drought now agonizingly eclipses its previous longest dry spell between 1984 and 1999. Leclerc’s assessment of the situation was brutally honest: “It’s not good enough, no,” he stated. “I think when you drive for such a team, the only thing that is good enough is to win.” While acknowledging the strength of their rivals, he stressed that Ferrari’s brand and legacy demand nothing less than challenging for victory.

This fierce internal drive, coupled with external pressures, has pushed Ferrari to the edge of a high-stakes gamble. As they headed into the São Paulo Grand Prix weekend, locked in a fierce battle for second place against Mercedes and Red Bull, every decision carried monumental weight. Behind the scenes in Maranello, eyes are already drifting toward the end-of-season showdowns, specifically 2026, and a bold move that could shape the final stretch of the season.

According to reports, Ferrari is weighing up the option of swapping out engine components to give Leclerc a fresh power unit for the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. Such a move would incur a grid penalty, forcing the Monégasque driver to start from the back of the field. It is a roll of the dice in the “City of Sin,” a desperate strategy that acknowledges the difficulty of securing a win through conventional means. With the Las Vegas layout, with its silky smooth asphalt and overtaking opportunities, potentially neutralizing some of the penalty’s impact, it remains a live option. The team, desperate to avoid ending the season winless and eager to secure the coveted second-place ranking, faces a complex calculation: play it safe, or risk everything for a late-season surge.

As the Formula 1 circus rolls toward Interlagos and the unpredictable Brazilian weather looms as a major disruptor, the sport is defined by two interlocking battles. First, Lewis Hamilton’s personal crusade for integrity and justice from the FIA, demanding an end to the “secrecy” that has haunted his biggest moments. Second, the historic Ferrari team’s desperate fight to restore its glory, with its drivers and management declaring anything less than victory to be an unacceptable failure. The final chapters of the season promise not just racing drama, but a profound confrontation with the sport’s regulatory structure and the psychological weight of its most enduring title drought.