Hamilton Faces Grid Penalty Ahead of Monaco Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton has been penalized with a three-place grid drop for the Monaco Grand Prix due to an incident in qualifying where he impeded Max Verstappen. This decision follows an engagement between both drivers during Q1, where Hamilton’s slower Ferrari blocked Verstappen’s fast lap as they approached Turn 3.
The FIA stewards’ investigation revealed that Hamilton’s team incorrectly communicated to him that Verstappen was on a slow lap, causing Hamilton to accelerate into the racing line, impacting Verstappen’s qualifying attempt. The stewards noted, "Car 44 [Hamilton] was on a slow lap… Car 1 [Verstappen] was always on a push lap… This resulted in Car 1 having to abort the lap."
During the hearing, Hamilton accepted that the team’s miscommunication led to the incident but emphasized it did not serve as a mitigating factor for the imposed penalty, which aligns with standard protocol for similar infringements.
Verstappen commented on the situation post-qualifying, stating, "I quickly chatted with Lewis about it… it’s not Lewis’ fault; it’s the team’s mistake." As a result of the penalty, Hamilton will start from seventh on the grid, allowing Verstappen to move up to fourth.
Additionally, Lance Stroll also received a three-place penalty for impeding Pierre Gasly. This does not affect his grid position significantly due to an earlier one-place penalty incurred during practice.
The Monaco Grand Prix, set for Sunday, features a challenging track for overtaking, making qualifying positions crucial for race strategy.
