Verstappen’s GT teammate blasts FIA ‘double standards’ over Hamilton gesture

Max Verstappen’s GT co-driver Daniel Juncadella has accused the FIA of applying double standards after Lewis Hamilton faced no penalty for giving Franco Colapinto the middle finger during the Miami Grand Prix. The Spanish driver, fined €5,000 himself last season for the same gesture, sarcastically questioned the lack of action and demanded equal treatment.

Why it matters:

The incident reignites debate over the FIA's consistency in enforcing its code of conduct, with drivers and fans increasingly skeptical about whether penalties are applied equally across the grid. Juncadella's criticism highlights a perception that high-profile figures like Hamilton may receive more lenient treatment.

The details:

• Hamilton was caught on unseen TV footage showing the middle finger toward Colapinto after contact at the start of the Miami GP, which caused significant damage to his Ferrari SF-26 and compromised his race. He ultimately finished sixth.
• Juncadella, who races alongside Verstappen in GT competition, responded to a social media post showing the gesture with a sarcastic comment: “Here I assume there was no fine, right? FIA double standards… They never disappoint.”
• The Spaniard’s frustration stems from his own experience: during last season’s Bahrain 8 Hours (WEC), he was fined €5,000 (€4,000 suspended) for making the same gesture toward Augusto Farfus.
• When another user downplayed Hamilton’s act, Juncadella clarified he doesn’t object to the gesture itself, but insists on consistency: “I don’t think it’s a problem at all that he did it, but give him a €2,000 fine as well, like they did with me.”
• Separately, Hamilton admitted the damage from the Colapinto contact hurt his chances, but also pointed to deeper Ferrari issues. He cited a lack of straight-line speed (losing several tenths per lap) and poor correlation between the simulator and track performance, saying the current weekend preparation process “didn’t work."

Between the lines:

Hamilton’s comments suggest Ferrari’s SF-26 faces fundamental flaws that no single fix can resolve. The correlation gap between simulator and track—despite extensive sim work Hamilton dislikes—underscores a structural problem at Maranello that may require significant time to address. Meanwhile, the FIA’s response to the gesture incident remains conspicuously silent, leaving Juncadella’s double-standards claim hanging over the sport.