Lewis Hamilton expressed strong dissatisfaction with race officials’ decision to impose a 10-second penalty on him during the Mexican Grand Prix. The penalty was a result of Hamilton gaining an advantage by leaving the track on turn four while battling Max Verstappen.

The penalty dealt a significant blow to Hamilton, who was in third place after 17 laps of the race. Hamilton immediately criticized the decision over the team radio when informed of the penalty by his engineer, expressing frustration by calling it “so s***.”

Hamilton attributed the error to the track conditions at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, emphasizing the lack of grip at that particular turn. Following the penalty, Hamilton returned to the pits and rejoined the race in 14th place, impacting his chances of securing a race victory.

Shortly after Hamilton’s penalty, Fernando Alonso retired from the race due to a mechanical issue, becoming the third driver to do so at the Mexican Grand Prix. Liam Lawson and Nico Hulkenberg also faced early retirements due to mechanical problems.

At the time of the race, Hamilton was sixth in the Drivers’ Championship standings, trailing leader Oscar Piastri by 202 points. His teammate Charles Leclerc held a higher position, with a 50-point advantage over Hamilton.

Hamilton’s season has been challenging, especially after his decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari. He has not won a Grand Prix this season, achieving fourth-place finishes in various races. While no longer in contention for the Drivers’ Championship, Hamilton aims to finish the remaining races of the year strongly in Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.