Lewis Hamilton rejects Max Verstappen penalty call after Austrian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton dismissed Max Verstappen's radio request for a penalty after their wheel‑to‑wheel battle at the Austrian Grand Prix. Hamilton said, “You don't expect to go around the outside of a champion,” rejecting the notion that Verstappen should be penalised for forcing him off the track at the sixth corner.

Verstappen finished second, while Hamilton, hampered by tyre degradation, a difficult‑to‑balance SF‑26 and a lack of straight‑line speed, ended the race in fifth, 26 seconds behind winner George Russell. Hamilton criticised Ferrari's current pace and said the team needs a power‑unit upgrade, noting that Mercedes can sustain energy deployment longer than Ferrari, but such improvements are unlikely to arrive immediately.