The 2025 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka delivered more than just on-track action, with post-race drama stealing the spotlight.

Williams driver Carlos Sainz found himself in hot water after arriving late to the pre-race national anthem ceremony, resulting in a €20,000 fine—€10,000 of which is suspended for 12 months.

Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton opened up about his car’s underperformance, shedding light on the challenges he’s faced in his debut season with the iconic team.

As Formula 1 heads to its next race, these developments have sparked heated debates among fans and raised questions about fairness and Ferrari’s competitiveness.

Sainz’s fine came after he arrived late to the national anthem ceremony before the Japanese Grand Prix, an event drivers are required to attend to show respect for the host country. The FIA stewards issued the penalty despite Sainz having a legitimate reason for his tardiness—he was suffering from stomach discomfort and was being examined by a doctor. A steward statement acknowledged the mitigating circumstances, noting that a doctor verified Sainz’s condition and provided medication. However, the stewards emphasized that “displaying respect for the national anthem is a high priority,” and all drivers must plan to be in position on time. The standard penalty for such an offense is €60,000, but due to Sainz’s medical issue, the fine was reduced to €20,000, with half suspended.

The decision has sparked controversy among fans and pundits alike. Many argue that Sainz’s medical emergency should have warranted a complete exemption from the penalty, given the circumstances were beyond his control. The Spaniard’s weekend was already marred by challenges—he started the race in P15 after a three-place grid penalty for impeding Hamilton during qualifying and could only manage a P14 finish. Meanwhile, his teammate Alex Albon scored points, finishing P9 and bringing his season tally to 18 points, while Sainz has just one point from the first three races. The fine adds insult to injury for Sainz, who is still adjusting to life at Williams after leaving Ferrari, where Hamilton now races.

On the other side of the paddock, Lewis Hamilton’s struggles with Ferrari have become a talking point. The seven-time world champion, who joined Ferrari in 2025, has had a rocky start to the season, finishing P10 in Melbourne, P6 in China, and P7 in Japan. While a sprint race win in China offered a glimmer of hope, Hamilton has been consistently outpaced by teammate Charles Leclerc, who finished P8, P5, and P4 in the same races. Following the Japanese Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed a key issue hampering his performance, telling *The Race*, “Through the first three races, there’s been a bit of a deficit between both sides of the garage on an element of the car. On my side, something is underperforming.” He added that with the setup he had, his P7 finish was the best result possible.

Hamilton’s comments point to a setup divergence between his and Leclerc’s cars, a logical explanation given his ongoing adjustment to Ferrari’s SF-25. Leclerc, a long-time Ferrari driver, has a deeper understanding of the car’s setup, allowing him to extract more performance. Hamilton, still in his first season with the team, admitted he’s learning how to optimize the car’s setup, a process that has led to a performance gap. Ferrari’s lack of pace at Suzuka was evident, with neither driver able to challenge the front-runners—Max Verstappen won for Red Bull, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. However, Hamilton remains optimistic, noting that the team has identified the root cause of his struggles and is working on improvements for the next race in Bahrain.

As Formula 1 moves forward, Sainz’s fine has reignited discussions about the FIA’s strict regulations, with some fans calling for more leniency in cases of genuine medical issues. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s candid remarks offer hope for Ferrari fans, but the pressure is on for the team to close the gap to McLaren and Red Bull. With 21 races left in the season, can Sainz turn his season around at Williams, and will Hamilton find his rhythm at Ferrari? The F1 world is watching closely.