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Hamilton stung by three-place grid penalty / Photo: © POOL/AFP
Hamilton stung by three-place grid penalty
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur admitted it was their mistake – and not the driver’s – that led to Lewis Hamilton being handed a three-place grid penalty for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion was accused of ‘not looking in his mirrors’ and impeding McLaren rival Oscar Piastri during his final slowdown lap after qualifying second behind world champion Lando Norris of McLaren.
His penalty means he will drop three places to fifth on the grid at the tight and technical Hungaroring circuit where overtaking is always difficult.
Vasseur said: “We will let the stewards decide. We told him but far too late. If there's a mistake, it's our mistake."
Piastri told reporters: “It was just Lewis, not looking in his mirrors. The yellow flag wasn’t my problem.”
Hamilton was denied claiming an unprecedented 10th pole position at the same circuit when Norris beat him in the final seconds by just 0.012 seconds.
Piastri’s race engineer Tom Stallard told him on team radio “I’m sure Hamilton will get a penalty for that” on team radio.
Hamilton admitted the incident concerned him during post-qualifying interviews.
He said: “My mind is just elsewhere at this second because once I finished my lap, I don't know if I got in the way of someone – so I’m just trying to run it through my mind because I wasn’t aware anyone was coming.”
He added that he was not told that Piastri was on a fast lap.
"I was told, literally, when he was at the apex behind me so I had no idea he was coming.
"I thought everyone came out behind me. I was the first out, so I thought everyone had finished their lap… Obviously, it wasn't intentional.”
Z.Sanchez--SFF
