Daniel Juncadella, who will partner with four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen at the upcoming 24 Hours of Nürburgring, has publicly criticized the FIA for what he perceives as a double standard in its disciplinary actions. The accusation stems from an incident during the Miami Grand Prix where Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton was not penalized for making an obscene gesture.
The controversy began when onboard camera footage from Hamilton's car captured the seven-time world champion extending his middle finger toward Alpine driver Franco Colapinto. The incident occurred following a collision between the two drivers on the opening lap of the race. Despite the clear nature of the gesture, the FIA stewards decided not to take any punitive action against the British driver.
Juncadella quickly drew a parallel to his own recent experience. He pointed out that he had been fined for making a similar gesture during the 2025 WEC season finale in Bahrain. In that instance, the stewards had deemed his behavior "rude, disrespectful, and completely inappropriate for motorsport," resulting in a financial penalty.
The Spanish driver's fine totaled €5,000, with €4,000 of that amount suspended. He highlighted this disparity in a post on the social media platform X, questioning the consistency of the governing body's rulings. "So, no penalty? Double standards from the FIA... They never disappoint," Juncadella wrote.
He further clarified that his issue was not with Hamilton's action itself, but with the perceived lack of equal treatment. "I don't think he should have done it. But give him a €2,000 fine, like me," he added, suggesting a proportional penalty would have been the fair outcome.
The incident has reignited discussions among fans and insiders about the consistency of FIA stewarding across different racing series. While Hamilton escaped sanction in Formula 1, Juncadella's case in the World Endurance Championship resulted in a formal reprimand and a fine, raising questions about whether the same rules are applied uniformly to all drivers.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.