Lewis Hamilton Reveals How Computer Glitch Distracted Max Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton has explained the incident involving Max Verstappen during Monaco Grand Prix qualifying on May 24. The clash happened in Q1 when Verstappen, on a fast lap, caught up to Hamilton at the hill’s crest, forcing the Red Bull driver off his attempt.

Both drivers advanced to Q2, but the moment drew the attention of race stewards. After reviewing the incident, Hamilton received a three-place grid penalty ahead of Sunday’s race.

Hamilton said the confusion stemmed from Ferrari’s computer system, which briefly showed Verstappen was not on a push lap but then updated again. His team told him Verstappen was on a lap, so he moved left, away from the racing line, based on that data.

He said, “I don’t know if there’s some sort of issue with the computer screen, it said that Max was on the lap, and then it disappeared and said he wasn’t. That was the information they gave me.” Hamilton added he tried to avoid blocking Verstappen but admitted the situation distracted his rival. More background on Verstappen’s racecraft can be found in Verstappen first laps.

Despite the penalty, Hamilton secured his best qualifying result of the 2025 season with Ferrari, finishing fourth. This came just hours after a challenging final practice session that ended with a crash.

Following the penalty drop, Hamilton will start seventh, behind his original pace-setting lap. This is another step in his steady adjustment to Ferrari after spending over a decade with Mercedes. His transition experience is detailed in Hamilton F1 movie.

Hamilton praised teammate Charles Leclerc, noting Leclerc’s six years of experience with Ferrari’s engineering give him an advantage. He acknowledged the Ferrari car’s setup differs greatly from what he’s used to but said he enjoys learning its handling in Monaco. For more on Ferrari’s engineering history, visit Ferrari’s official heritage page.

He described the weekend as a “quick, steep learning curve” and commended Ferrari’s recovery efforts after his FP3 crash.

After qualifying, Lando Norris broke a Monaco record, and both Oscar Piastri and George Russell maintained strong points runs. Piastri leads the drivers’ championship with 146 points, followed by Norris with 133 and Verstappen with 124.

George Russell sits fourth with 99 points, Charles Leclerc fifth on 61, and Hamilton sixth with 53 points after penalties adjusted the standings.

In the constructors’ battle, McLaren leads with 279 points. Mercedes is second on 147, Red Bull third with 131, and Ferrari fourth on 114 points after tough weekends for both Leclerc and Hamilton. For the latest official standings, check the FIA’s official results page.

The race calendar continues with the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya on June 1, followed by the Canadian Grand Prix on June 15. For details on the Circuit de Catalunya, see the official circuit website.

Hamilton aims to apply lessons from Monaco to upcoming races. He finds progress encouraging since joining Ferrari but recognizes Leclerc’s edge with his car familiarity.

With Formula 1 moving to Spain next, Hamilton and Ferrari look to push for better results and more podiums in this competitive season. Further analysis of strategic race incidents like this one can be found in Lulham Verstappen Nurburgring. For a deeper dive into race strategies, visit the MIT Motorsports Analytics Lab.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.