FIA confirms double Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc penalty at Brazilian Grand Prix
Tensions are rising between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari
Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have both been hit with a 10-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, the FIA stewards have announced.
It comes after both drivers moved on to a fifth internal combustion engine of the F1 2026 season at Interlagos.
FIA confirms Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc penalty at Brazilian Grand Prix
Formula 1 arrives in Brazil with Mercedes on the brink of winning the F1 2026 constructors’ title.
The Brackley-based team will be crowned world champions if it outscores Ferrari by three points or more in Sao Paulo.
Mercedes’ chances of sealing the title have received a major boost with the news that both Hamilton and Leclerc will drop 10 places on the grid in Brazil after exceeding their engine component allowance for the F1 2026 campaign.
Hamilton appeared to suffer a problem with his new engine in Saturday’s final practice session in Brazil, with the seven-time world champion reporting “smoke in the cockpit” at the halfway point of FP3.
The 41-year-old returned to the pits, with his SF-26 suspended in the garage as mechanics worked on the car.
Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc: Ferrari head-to-head stats for F1 2026 season
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F1 2026: Head-to-head race statistics between teammates
The news of Ferrari’s penalties comes after it emerged on Friday that Mercedes driver George Russell will drop five places on the grid after taking a new internal combustion engine, his sixth of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver who has won three of the last four races, will start from the back of the grid in Brazil after taking a new engine.
Ferrari enters the Brazilian Grand Prix following an ill-tempered race between Hamilton and Leclerc in Mexico last weekend.
Leclerc was hit with a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage in battle with Hamilton, who lost a position to race winner Verstappen in the process.
Hamilton was heard complaining over team radio that his teammate’s punishment was too lenient.
Appearing in Friday’s press conference at Interlagos, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur revealed that clear-the-air talks had been held with the drivers on Thursday, with the Scuderia’s so-called racing guidelines unchanged for Brazil.
Leclerc added that the matter was now “settled” despite Hamilton insisting on Thursday that he will not be “silenced.”
More on Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from PlanetF1.com
Hamilton also pointed to Leclerc’s history with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz as evidence that he races his teammates more aggressively than other drivers.
Asked if he feels that Leclerc is more aggressive with him than others, Hamilton replied: “Yes.
“I can say what you see. Singapore, he was fully wheel to wheel [with Verstappen], fully on the inside, had won the lead in Turn 1 and backed off.
“[He] definitely [races against other drivers] different.
“If you look at the teammates, it’s the same with Sebastian [Vettel], it’s the same with Carlos [Sainz].”
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