Fred Vasseur calls out management of Lewis Hamilton's Mexico Grand Prix penalty

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur condemned the stewards' handling of Lewis Hamilton's 10-second penalty in Mexico

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur argued Lewis Hamilton's 10 second penalty during the Mexico Grand Prix was "very, very harsh" and "not very well managed".

Hamilton was handed a penalty for leaving the track and gaining a "lasting advantage" after an intense battle with four-time champion Max Verstappen.

The official statement from the stewards noted, "Car 44 (HAM) locked brakes, left the track at Turn 4 and used the grass area while rejoining in the direction of Turn 5. As the driver was unable to follow the route prescribed by the Race Director along the 'yellow line' due to an excess of speed, no breach of the Race Director's Notes is deemed to have occurred.

"However, by leaving the track and cutting the corner, the driver gained a lasting advantage, overtaking Car 1 (VER) and failing to give back the position thereafter. The standard penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage is therefore imposed."

As a result, Hamilton finished the Mexico Grand Prix in eighth place after starting from third. Vasseur claimed the penalty cost Hamilton P4.

"This cost us P4... One thing is the penalty, for sure, that we didn't follow the race director's notes. But 10 seconds, I don't remember when someone took 10 seconds," the Frenchman explained.

"If you consider, if you have the global picture, saying that Max cut the corner before, he cut the chicane, in the grass, 100 metres. I think it's not very well managed, honestly.

"Because you are in Mexico, on top of this, I don't say that you have to adapt the penalty to the track, but you have to understand what you are doing. He took the 10 seconds. This dropped us at the queue of the group and we can't overtake.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

"It's after the pitstop that you have no issue to recover. This cost us, probably P4, even with the five seconds, I think we were still P4. But with 10 seconds..."

Vasseur discussed Hamilton's penalty further with Sky Sports Germany.

"I think overall it was a good weekend. We had a very strong pace yesterday in quali with P2 and P3, and today I think that Lando was a step ahead at least and it was difficult to imagine to do better than P2," he added.

"The downside, or the negative side, is probably the penalty. I found the penalty a bit harsh — 10 seconds is very, very harsh because this dropped us behind all the group, and in Mexico it’s so difficult to overtake that this cost us."