Hamilton Hit with Major Penalty for Illegal Car Changes, Gives Dry Response After Qualifying. The race weekend in Lusail, Qatar, already fraught with tension, spiraled into further chaos as the FIA announced a series of severe penalties targeting several drivers, including world champion Lewis Hamilton. This penalty has forced a major shake-up on the Sprint grid, stemming from alleged breaches of Parc Fermé regulations. Adding to the regulatory headache, Hamilton also displayed visible frustration with the performance of his Ferrari following the Sprint Qualifying session, ratcheting up the pressure on the veteran driver and the team.

Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, and Franco Colapinto have all been hit with penalties for the Qatar GP Sprint, adding another layer of chaos to an already tense weekend at Lusail.

The Qatar Grand Prix weekend has taken another dramatic turn as multiple drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, have been hit with penalties ahead of the Sprint race.

Initially reported by Motor Sport Magazine’s F1 journalist Chris Medland, Hamilton, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, and Franco Colapinto will all start the Sprint from the pit lane after breaking parc fermé regulations to make car changes.

Lewis Hamilton steers his car back to the pitlane during the first practice session ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix.

The infringement triggers an automatic penalty, forcing each affected driver to give up their grid positions and line up at the end of the pit lane when the lights go out.

The official FIA document noted, “Scuderia Ferrari HP changed the setup of the suspension of Car 44 under Parc Ferme without the approval of the Technical Delegate, this not being in accordance with Article 40.9 b) of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations. Car 44 is therefore required to start the Sprint from pit lane.”

For the Ferrari driver, already facing high pressure after a tough Sprint Qualifying session, this setback significantly complicates his task, as overtaking at Lusail can be challenging across the shortened Sprint distance.

The situation also dents hopes for Stroll, Gasly, and rookie Colapinto, all of whom now face an uphill climb to recover positions.

Pressed on whether there was anything positive to take into the next day or whether the Sprint would essentially act as a test session, the British driver maintained his dry tone: “The weather’s nice.” He repeated the remark once more when the interviewer tried to draw optimism from him.

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