Hamilton receives grid penalty after qualifying incident in Hungary
Lewis Hamilton has been issued a three-place grid penalty for the Hungarian Grand Prix following an incident during Qualifying. Hamilton, who initially secured P2 at the Hungaroring, was penalised for impeding Oscar Piastri. This penalty means Hamilton will now start the race from fifth position on the grid.
The incident occurred as the top-10 drivers were preparing for their final laps in Qualifying. Hamilton had provisionally taken the top spot before Lando Norris qualified P1. Hamilton then faced an investigation for impeding Piastri.
Details of the incident
The stewards reviewed evidence including video, telemetry, team radio, and in-car video. They determined that Hamilton, driving Car 44, was travelling at a reduced speed on the racing line as Piastri, in Car 81, approached on a push lap. Hamilton stated he had just completed a fast lap and did not receive a radio message about Piastri’s approach until Piastri was already close. He also mentioned that Piastri’s car was not visible in his mirrors due to his car’s positioning on the track.
Piastri, who was on a push lap, was forced to take evasive action, running wide and having to abort his lap. This resulted in him settling for P5. The stewards concluded that Car 44 unnecessarily impeded Car 81 during Qualifying, leading to the three-place grid penalty for Hamilton.
Hamilton acknowledged the situation after Qualifying, stating, “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.”
Impact on the grid
The penalty for Hamilton has altered the starting grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix. His demotion to fifth place promotes other drivers. Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli, and Oscar Piastri each move up one position on the grid.
In a separate incident, Kimi Antonelli also received a three-place grid penalty for not slowing sufficiently under single yellow flags after Max Verstappen spun. This penalty means Antonelli will start seventh, behind his teammate George Russell. The revised top 10 on the grid after penalties are:
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
- Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
Hamilton described his final lap as challenging, noting, “I had a clean out-lap, and when I started my lap, already into Turn One I had a snap and I was already 0.15secs down. It just cascaded from there.” He added, “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.”
Regarding the impeding incident, Hamilton stated he was informed of Piastri’s approach only when Piastri was “at the apex behind me,” indicating he had no prior warning. He believed he was the first car out and that others had completed their laps. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur took responsibility, saying, “If there’s a mistake, it’s our mistake.”
The Hungarian Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, July 26.
Source: formula1.com
