Lewis Hamilton received a penalty during the Mexico City Grand Prix after Formula 1 stewards determined he had left the track to gain an advantage in his battle with Max Verstappen early in the race. Hamilton, starting in third position, found himself in a tight situation between Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc while Verstappen tried to overtake them. Verstappen ended up off track but rejoined in fourth place, with Norris leading the race and Hamilton maintaining a podium position.

In a subsequent tussle with Verstappen, Hamilton went off track due to locked tires and re-entered the track after cutting across the grass, still in third place. Despite being investigated and cleared for not using the correct exit road, Hamilton was handed a 10-second time penalty for gaining an unfair advantage by leaving the track.

Following the penalty, Hamilton expressed his frustration over the team radio. He continued racing in third place but was closely pursued by Oliver Bearman. Bearman, benefiting from a battle between Verstappen and George Russell, made his way up the ranks and effectively occupied a podium position. Hamilton eventually served his penalty, allowing Bearman to move up as well.

The race continued with Bearman successfully fending off Verstappen before making a tire switch. This turn of events presented Haas with a rare opportunity for a podium finish, a milestone the team had never achieved in their 10-year Formula 1 history.

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