"They're really trying to make him quit": Fans react as Lewis Hamilton’s bad Dutch GP turns worse with FIA ruling

Lewis Hamilton's weekend at Zandvoort just went from bad to worse. After crashing out of the Dutch Grand Prix on Lap 23, the Ferrari driver was handed a five-place grid penalty for next week's Italian Grand Prix at Monza, and fans are not happy about it.

The stewards found the seven-time champion guilty of failing to slow under double-waved yellow flags during the pre-race reconnaissance laps. For Ferrari, it capped off a weekend that already ended in disaster. Both drivers failed to finish at Zandvoort as the Briton crashed into the barriers at Turn 3 and Charles Leclerc later spun at the same corner.

The FIA confirmed the penalty after analyzing telemetry data, determining that Hamilton's speed breach occurred when passing through the yellow flag zone. F1 shared the decision on X:

"Lewis Hamilton will receive a five-place grid penalty for Monza for 'failing to slow under double yellow flags' during the race at Zandvoort.

Formula 1

@F1

🚨 Lewis Hamilton will receive a five-place grid penalty for Monza for "failing to slow under double yellow flags" during the race at Zandvoort

That post sparked a wave of frustration online. One fan summed up the mood with:

"They're really trying to make him quit."

Others echoed the anguish:

Marco

@marcoacarini

Disgraceful decision.

Dakshay

@Dakshay_mehta

Unfair.

Kunal Shah

@kunalashah

Technically, he picks up a grid penalty for his actions "before" the race - during the reconnaissance laps, and not "during" the race. Also, yet another FIA penalty that's weird (after Oscar Piastri's penalty in Silverstone for the SC restart).

But the frustration wasn't only aimed at the FIA. For many, Lewis Hamilton's penalty was just another blow in what has been a dreadful season for Ferrari. The No. 44 is yet to score a podium in 15 races so far.

isaiah

@tlop444

can this season get any worse for him 😭

Emir M | Type-F Capital

@em013L

I dont wish being a Ferrari fan upon my worst enemy

While some fans felt the penalty could have been harsher, the majority of them showed sympathy for Lewis Hamilton's unlucky debut campaign with Ferrari.

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How Lewis Hamilton's weekend unraveled at Zandvoort

Scuderia Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton crashes during the Dutch GP. Source: Getty

Heading into Sunday, Ferrari already looked a step behind. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were far from the front-runners throughout the practice sessions. The Monegasque qualified sixth and Hamilton seventh.

In the race, Hamilton felt competitive early on. Leclerc even overtook George Russell in the opening lap and held the fourth position for most of the race. But it soon took a turn.

"Generally it felt like it was going okay. I had good pace compared to Charles ahead of me and my tires were still okay. The rear was getting a bit twitchy… I got to Turn 3 and had a snap and I couldn't recover it. It's not a normal sort of thing for me to have, to crash out of a race," he admitted afterwards (via F1.com)

Moments later, Ferrari’s double DNF was sealed when Charles Leclerc tangled with Kimi Antonelli. What looked like a salvageable points day for the Scuderia ended with both cars parked.

Then came the stewards' review. After studying speed traces and braking data, they judged Hamilton's actions under yellow flags insufficient and issued the five-place drop for Monza. They noted that while he lifted and braked earlier than usual, it wasn't deemed 'significant' enough to meet the regulations.

Ferrari now heads to its second home race of the season at Monza, with Hamilton carrying a penalty. For a team desperate to salvage momentum, this is yet another blow in what has been a season of setbacks.