Lewis Hamilton Monaco Grand Prix weekend has taken a hit after the Ferrari driver was handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen during qualifying. Originally set to start from fourth, Lewis Hamilton will now line up seventh on the grid for Sunday’s iconic race.
The incident occurred in Q1 at the tight and twisty Massenet section. Hamilton, who was on a slow lap, veered back towards the racing line after receiving incorrect information from his race engineer. Ferrari told him that Verstappen behind was not on a flying lap—only for it to turn out the Red Bull was very much pushing. The move forced Verstappen to bail on his lap, costing him time and momentum.
The stewards reviewed the incident and, despite acknowledging the role Ferrari’s radio mix-up played, they ruled it wasn’t enough to excuse the impeding. “The fact that the radio message was the cause of the impeding does not amount to a mitigating factor,” the report stated, confirming the standard three-place grid drop.
Hamilton was quick to explain his side of the story:
“I think I was doing a good job of staying out of the way… then the team said Max was on a fast lap, so I moved left, then they said ‘no, he’s not,’” he told Sky Sports F1. “I was just about to get back on power… I was off the line but for sure distracted him.”
Verstappen, meanwhile, seemed understanding—sort of.
“It’s not Lewis’ fault; the team told him wrong. I quickly chatted with him—it’s simple but can’t happen,” he said. “In the end, it still deserves a penalty.”
The final stewards’ report confirmed Hamilton had rejoined the racing line right as Verstappen approached, forcing the Dutchman to abandon the lap. Isack Hadjar and Fernando Alonso are among those benefiting from Hamilton’s penalty, each moving up a spot.
Opinion: While it’s harsh on Lewis, especially given the team error, the penalty is consistent with precedent. Monaco’s unforgiving layout makes every millisecond count, and even small missteps have big consequences. Ferrari will need sharper communication if they want to avoid more slip-ups like this.
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