The FIA cleared Lewis Hamilton after investigating whether he gained an advantage by leaving the track during the Brazilian Grand Prix, while Charles Leclerc received a five-second penalty that altered the final result.
Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, was investigated during Sunday's race at Interlagos after going off the track while overtaking Oliver Bearman. The stewards reviewed in-car video evidence and determined that Hamilton, in Car 44, was attempting an overtake on Bearman, in Car 87, at Turn 5.
FIA Statement on Hamilton
In the statement, the stewards said that in defending the position, Bearman moved to the right and Hamilton was pushed off the track to avoid a collision. They noted that Hamilton clearly had the momentum for the overtake and gained no advantage by going off the track, and that the position was subsequently given back by Hamilton. No further action was taken.
The investigation was one of several post-race reviews by the FIA following a wet and wild race at Interlagos.
Leclerc Penalty Changes Result
Charles Leclerc dropped from seventh to eighth after receiving a five-second penalty for making contact with Liam Lawson while going wheel-to-wheel with the Racing Bulls driver. The stewards said that while the contact was minor and Lawson was able to maintain the lead thereafter, Lawson claimed the contact damaged the rear left rim of his car and enabled Leclerc to get closer and eventually overtake him five corners later.
The stewards concluded that under the driving standard guidelines, Lawson had the right to the corner and it was for Leclerc to take the necessary steps to avoid a collision. They acknowledged the contact was minor but concluded that Leclerc was able to get closer to and thereafter overtake Lawson because of the contact, which they described as an obvious sporting consequence.
Other Post-Race Penalties
Kimi Antonelli also received a five-second penalty for an unsafe pit lane release by Mercedes into the path of Franco Colapinto, but remained sixth. Oliver Bearman received a similar penalty for an unsafe release from Haas, but adding five seconds to his time did not change his position, with the Brit staying 17th.
Lando Norris converted pole position into a race win for the second straight year at Interlagos for McLaren. Max Verstappen came through from 21st place to finish second ahead of team-mate Isack Hadjar. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli came fifth and sixth, respectively, which was enough for Mercedes to claim the Constructors' Championship for the first time since 2021. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished eighth and ninth after the penalty.
