Hamilton Receives Five-Place Grid Penalty for Italian Grand Prix over Yellow Flag Violation
Lewis Hamilton will start the upcoming Italian Grand Prix in Monza from the fifth row after being handed a five-place grid penalty. The penalty results from his failure to adequately reduce speed during double waved yellow flags prior to the Dutch Grand Prix.
Race director Rui Marques issued the yellow flags at the final corner due to safety concerns, as team personnel were present on the grid while drivers completed reconnaissance laps. Hamilton was found to insufficiently slow down in that sector on two instances, leading to the investigation by the stewards.
“Due to the nature of the track, the Race Director had informed all participants about the double yellow flags in the last corner,” stated a race official. “The regulations require any driver passing through a double waved yellow flag sector to significantly reduce speed. Data analysis revealed Hamilton only decreased his speed by approximately 20 kph compared to practice sessions.”
Additionally, the stewards assessed Hamilton’s entry speed into the pit lane as not being “greatly reduced,” which violated Article 44.1 of the regulations that mandates drivers covering more than one reconnaissance lap to lower their speed significantly when approaching the pits.
While the standard penalty for such violations is a 10-position drop, the stewards acknowledged Hamilton’s attempt to slow down and opted for a five-place penalty instead. Notably, Hamilton’s race results at Zandvoort remain unaffected as he retired early due to a crash in damp conditions.
As the motorsport community prepares for the iconic Monza circuit, Hamilton’s grid penalty could impact his championship aspirations and alter the competitive landscape for the race.
