Hamilton loses P2 after Qualifying incident in Hungary
Lewis Hamilton has been issued a three-place grid penalty for the Hungarian Grand Prix after an incident during qualifying, which saw him impede Oscar Piastri. This penalty means Hamilton, who initially qualified in second position, will now start the race from fifth on the grid.
The incident occurred as drivers were completing their final laps in qualifying. Hamilton had provisionally secured the top spot before Lando Norris improved his time to take pole position. Following this, Hamilton was placed under investigation for blocking Piastri.
Qualifying Incident and Stewards’ Decision
During the qualifying session, Hamilton was unaware that Piastri was approaching on a push lap. As Hamilton slowed down after completing his own fast lap, he blocked Piastri at Turn 1. This forced Piastri to go over track limits, abort his lap, and ultimately settle for a fifth-place qualifying position.
Hamilton acknowledged after qualifying that his mind was elsewhere and he was unsure if he had impeded anyone. He stated that he was not aware of any approaching cars once he had finished his lap. He also mentioned that he was only informed of Piastri‘s proximity when the McLaren driver was already at the apex behind him.
The stewards reviewed video, telemetry, team radio, and in-car video evidence. They heard from both Hamilton and Piastri, as well as team representatives. The investigation revealed that Hamilton‘s car was travelling at a significantly reduced speed on the racing line at the approach to Turn 1, while Piastri‘s car was on a push lap.
Hamilton explained that he had just completed a fast lap and did not receive his team’s radio message regarding Piastri until it was too late. He also indicated that Piastri‘s car was not visible in his mirrors due to his car’s position on the track. The stewards concluded that Hamilton unnecessarily impeded Piastri during qualifying, leading to the three-place grid penalty.
Impact on the Starting Grid
The penalty has resulted in several changes to the starting grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Hamilton‘s demotion from second to fifth place promotes other drivers. Charles Leclerc, Hamilton‘s Ferrari teammate, moves up to second on the grid. Kimi Antonelli is promoted to third, and Oscar Piastri moves up to fourth.
Norris secured pole position with a time of 1:17.207, beating Hamilton by a narrow margin of 0.012 seconds. Leclerc‘s time was 0.238 seconds behind Norris, while Antonelli was 0.272 seconds off the pole time. Piastri‘s best qualifying time was 0.477 seconds slower than Norris.
The qualifying session also saw other notable events, including a spin by Max Verstappen at the final corner, which affected Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Antonelli is also under a separate investigation for a potential yellow-flag infringement. Verstappen will start sixth, ahead of Russell in seventh.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur stated that any blame for the impeding incident lay with the team, not Hamilton, as the radio message to warn Hamilton about Piastri was delivered too late. Hamilton himself described the situation as “crazy” and unintentional, noting that he thought everyone had finished their laps as he was the first out.
The Hungarian Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, with the race starting at 2pm.
Other Qualifying Details
Lando Norris expressed his satisfaction with securing pole position, particularly at the Hungaroring, a track where starting from the front is often advantageous. He mentioned that he had confidence throughout the day, despite feeling his laps in Q3 were not his best.
Hamilton‘s second run in qualifying was a second slower than his first, and he expressed dissatisfaction with being sent out first for that run. He noted that he had a snap into Turn 1 and was already 0.15 seconds down, which affected the rest of his lap. He believed the car had the potential for pole position.
Fernando Alonso achieved a significant breakthrough for Aston Martin, progressing out of the first session for the first time this season with their updated car. He will start 16th, 2.8 seconds off pole, but this represented a two-second improvement in relative pace for the team. Alonso expressed optimism about the team’s understanding of the car’s weaknesses and the direction they are heading.
Drivers faced challenges with the track surface at the Hungaroring, particularly in the final two corners, where judging grip levels was difficult. George Russell experienced a water leak during his final run, which sprayed water onto his rear tyres, leading him to park his car at Turn 1 after crossing the line to avoid engine damage.
The top 10 qualifiers were Lando Norris (McLaren) with 1:17.207, Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) with a time 0.012 seconds behind (starting fifth due to penalty), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 0.238 seconds behind, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 0.272 seconds behind, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 0.477 seconds behind, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 0.518 seconds behind, George Russell (Mercedes) 0.533 seconds behind, Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) 0.649 seconds behind, Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) 1.074 seconds behind, and Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) 1.479 seconds behind.
The Hungarian Grand Prix build-up is scheduled to begin at 12:30pm.
Source: formula1.com
