Lewis Hamilton explains last-lap puncture panic at F1 US GP

Lewis Hamilton has detailed his last-lap puncture scare at the United States Grand Prix.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton finished fourth in Austin but suffered a late issue with his SF-25 for the second consecutive race.

Following a brake failure last time out in Singapore, Hamilton encountered a problem that saw him drop performance and allowed McLaren’s Oscar Piastri to close in.

Hamilton radioed in to report a possible puncture on the final lap but Ferrari told him all the sensors suggested there was nothing untoward.

The 40-year-old Briton managed to just pip championship leader Piastri to the line and equal his best result since joining Ferrari.

When asked what the issue was, Hamilton replied; “I’m not really sure.

“I went into Turn 5 and it felt like I hit something. And all of a sudden, I had massive understeer and I thought that I had a puncture.

“So I brake into Turn 11 and the thing wouldn’t stop and I was like, ‘Jeez, what’s going on?’

“But somehow I managed to hold it in the last couple of corners.

“I had huge understeer in the last… like, I thought the front wing was broken or something happened with the tyre. It was so close.”

Hamilton breaks unwanted Ferrari record

Hamilton has now gone longer than any other Ferrari driver in F1 history without claiming a podium.

Hamilton’s podium drought in Ferrari red has now stretched to 19 races.

That surpasses Didier Peroni, who finally scored his first podium for the Scuderia in his 19th start for the team.

Charles Leclerc finished third in Austin to score his sixth podium of 2025.

Hamilton is sixth in the championship on 142 points, one place and 50 points behind Leclerc.

On a more positive note, Hamilton has become the first driver in F1 history to break the 5,000 point barrier.