Hamilton receives penalty after qualifying
Lewis Hamilton has been issued a three-place grid penalty for the Hungarian Grand Prix following an incident during qualifying. The penalty means Hamilton, who initially secured P2, will now start the race from fifth position. The incident involved impeding Oscar Piastri of McLaren during a qualifying lap.
The stewards investigated the matter after Hamilton provisionally claimed the top spot during qualifying before Lando Norris secured pole position. Hamilton was unaware that Piastri was on a fast lap when the incident occurred at Turn 1, forcing Piastri to abort his lap and settle for P5.
Following the qualifying session, Hamilton admitted, “I think my mind is just elsewhere right this second, because once I’d finished my lap, I don’t know if I got in the way of someone, so I’m just trying to run that through my mind, because I wasn’t aware anyone was coming.”
The penalty for Hamilton resulted in a reshuffling of the grid. Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli, and Oscar Piastri each moved up one position. Hamilton‘s team principal, Frederic Vasseur, indicated that the team was responsible for the communication breakdown, stating, “If there’s a mistake, it’s our mistake.”
Stewards’ findings and team strategy
The stewards’ document detailed that Hamilton’s car was traveling at a significantly reduced speed on the racing line as Piastri’s car approached on a push lap. Hamilton explained that he had just completed a fast lap and did not receive a radio message about the approaching car until it was already close. He also noted that Piastri’s car was not visible in his mirrors due to his car’s positioning.
The stewards concluded that Hamilton’s car unnecessarily impeded Piastri’s car during qualifying. This led to the imposition of a three-place grid penalty in accordance with FIA F1 Regulations and established penalty guidelines for such infringements.
Hamilton also expressed surprise about his team’s strategy to send him out early for his final timed lap in Q3. He stated, “I don’t know why we went first, and that was a bit of a shock to me. I definitely wouldn’t have chosen to go first, but it is what it is.” He felt the decision was an error, especially as the track was evolving and grip was improving.
He added, “I had a clean out-lap, and when I started my lap, already into Turn One I had a snap and I was already a tenth and a half down. It just cascaded from there. So, the last lap was the worst lap of all, and all the other laps were really good. We clearly had the car to be on pole today, and I just didn’t deliver. So that’s tough to swallow.”
Additional grid penalties and driver reactions
In a separate incident, Kimi Antonelli also received a three-place grid penalty. Antonelli was penalised for failing to slow sufficiently under yellow flags after Max Verstappen spun at the final corner. This penalty moves Antonelli to seventh on the grid, behind his teammate George Russell.
Antonelli explained that he lifted off the throttle when the yellow flag appeared, but the stewards determined that his speed was slightly higher than his previous push lap, leading to the penalty. While a five-place demotion is standard for such an infringement, the stewards considered his partial slowing as mitigation, reducing the penalty to three places.
Hamilton reflected on the series of penalties he has received recently, stating on social media, “Sometimes you just can’t catch a break. Another weekend when I’ve been feeling great throughout all the sessions, but then it just falls apart.” He noted that going from being close to pole to starting P5 is frustrating, especially after receiving three penalties in three weekends.
Despite the setbacks, Hamilton remains hopeful for the race, mentioning the team’s progress and the car’s improved performance throughout the weekend. He concluded his statement by encouraging fans to “keep the faith and send good vibes for the race.”
Lando Norris secured pole position for McLaren, with Charles Leclerc moving up to second place due to Hamilton’s penalty. Oscar Piastri will start from third, and Max Verstappen from fourth, having originally qualified sixth. The Hungarian Grand Prix is scheduled for 2pm, with build-up starting at 12:30pm.
Source: formula1.com
