Lewis Hamilton has been penalised by the FIA stewards following an unsafe pit release during the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, with Ferrari also fined after a mechanic was struck during the operation. The incident occurred during Hamilton's first pit stop when the Briton was released while a team member was still working on the rear-left corner of the car, causing contact.
Stewards determined that the release violated Article 34.14 of the FIA International Sporting Code, which requires a car to be released only when no team personnel remain in the working area. The Ferrari mechanic involved was assessed trackside by the team's medical staff and was able to continue his duties, but the breach was deemed serious enough to warrant a financial penalty for the Scuderia in addition to Hamilton's post-race time sanction.
The penalty adds to a difficult weekend for the seven-time champion, who also served a five-second penalty for his first-lap clash with George Russell that eliminated the Mercedes driver at La Source. Hamilton finished fourth on track but his eventful afternoon at Spa included the Russell collision, the unsafe release that injured a mechanic, and a tyre strategy that left him vulnerable to Max Verstappen's Red Bull in the closing stages — a triple blow on a day when Ferrari had hoped to challenge for victory.