Laurence Edmondson
Multiple Authors
Lewis Hamilton might face a grid penalty on the Hungarian Grand Prix following a post-qualifying investigation for impeding Oscar Piastri.
The Ferrari driver set the second quickest time of qualifying, simply 0.012 seconds off Lando Norris‘ pole place effort, however appears more likely to face a three-place grid drop for blocking Piastri on his final Q3 effort at Turn 1.
Hamilton was the primary driver on the highway in the ultimate runs of qualifying, and after failing to enhance on his time, was forward of Piastri on observe because the McLaren driver began his flying lap.
Video footage confirmed Piastri locking up and working vast of the racing line as Hamilton blocked his path via the nook.
Teams often warn their drivers of rivals behind them in qualifying, however Hamilton stated the decision from his race engineer got here too late.
“I was told literally when he was at the apex behind me, so I had no idea he was coming,” Hamilton stated.
“I thought everyone came out behind me. I was the first out, so I thought everyone had finished their lap and I think Charles [Leclerc] was the car that was behind me when I left the pit lane as far as I was aware.
“So, yeah, loopy as a result of they’d been clear and clearly it wasn’t intentional.”
Hamilton was due to visit the stewards to discuss the incident at 6 p.m. local time, although he did not hold much hope for a favourable decision.
“It’s all relying on the stewards. Obviously we’ll know in the following half an hour, however I at all times anticipate the worst,” he stated.
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– Lando Norris says new way of racing in F1 a ‘shame:’ ‘Not how a sport should be run’
Hamilton additionally questioned why Ferrari despatched him out first on the highway on his last run in Q3 and believes he had the efficiency to safe pole place.
“I imply, I do not know why we went first and that was a little bit of a shock to me,” he said. “I positively would not have chosen to go first, however it’s what it’s.
“I had a clean out-lap and when I started my lap already in Turn 1, I had a snap and I was already a tenth and a half down and it just cascaded from there.
“So the final lap was the worst lap of all and all the opposite laps had been actually good. So we clearly had the automobile to be on pole right this moment and I simply did not ship. So that is, yeah, powerful to swallow.”
