Lewis Hamilton unnecessarily relinquished a track position to Oliver Bearman during the São Paulo Grand Prix, a decision later clarified by Formula 1 stewards as unrequired. The incident occurred on the opening lap of the race at Interlagos, involving Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, and Bearman, representing Haas.
Hamilton was attempting an overtake on Bearman at Turn 5 when the Haas driver defended his position, forcing Hamilton beyond the track limits to avoid a collision. Despite completing the manoeuvre, Hamilton subsequently returned the position to Bearman a few laps later. This action was taken while the incident was under investigation, seemingly to pre-empt a potential time penalty.
The stewards, however, ultimately determined that Hamilton had committed no infraction and was entitled to retain the position. Their review concluded that his decision to surrender the place was an error. The investigation focused on a potential breach of Article B1.8.6 of the FIA F1 Regulations and Appendix L of the International Sporting Code, which pertain to leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
After examining onboard footage, the stewards found that Bearman’s defensive driving had left Hamilton with no alternative but to run off the circuit. Crucially, they also established that Hamilton possessed sufficient momentum to complete the overtake and did not gain an unfair advantage by exceeding track limits.
The Stewards reviewed in-car video evidence and determined that Car 44 was attempting an overtake on Car 87 at Turn 5. In defending the position, Car 87 moved to the right and Car 44 was pushed off the track to avoid a collision. Car 44 clearly had the momentum for the overtake and gained no advantage by going off the track. We also noted that the position was subsequently given back by Car 44. We therefore took no further action.
The São Paulo Grand Prix marked Hamilton’s 400th Formula 1 start. He began the race from 20th position on the grid due to a power unit change penalty. Despite this, he executed an impressive opening lap, climbing to ninth by the start of the second tour.
However, Hamilton’s race proved challenging beyond the Bearman incident. He struggled with rear-tyre overheating as the track dried and was the first driver to switch to slick tyres. This early stop did not yield the anticipated advantage for Ferrari. Later in the race, as rain returned, Hamilton experienced a spin at Juncao but managed to keep his car out of the barriers.
Hamilton ultimately finished the race in ninth position, one lap behind the winner. The São Paulo Grand Prix was a difficult event for Ferrari overall, with teammate Charles Leclerc finishing eighth after receiving a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Liam Lawson.
The 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix was won by Lando Norris for McLaren. Mercedes secured the Constructors’ Championship at this event, with George Russell finishing fourth and Kimi Antonelli fifth.
Other penalties issued during the race included a five-second penalty for Kimi Antonelli for an unsafe pit release, and a similar penalty for Oliver Bearman for an unsafe pit release. Nico Hulkenberg also received a 10-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage.
