Breaking:Lewis Hamilton Penalized with Grid Drop following Monaco GP disqualification p…read more
Lewis Hamilton Penalized with Grid Drop following Monaco GP disqualification p…read more
Lewis Hamilton will start the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix from seventh on the grid after being penalized for obstructing Max Verstappen during the qualifying session. The seven-time world champion, who has previously claimed victory in Monaco three times, initially secured the fourth-fastest time during Saturday’s qualifying round. However, following a review by race stewards, Hamilton received a three-place grid penalty, dropping him to seventh.
The incident occurred during Verstappen’s fast lap, when Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, was informed by his race engineer that Verstappen was slowing down. Based on this inaccurate information, Hamilton slowed on track, inadvertently impeding Verstappen’s flying lap. Verstappen, who was on a crucial qualifying run for Red Bull Racing, was negatively affected by the disruption.
After the session, Hamilton was summoned by the FIA stewards to discuss the incident. During the investigation, it was revealed that Ferrari had mistakenly informed Hamilton over the team radio that Verstappen was no longer pushing on his lap, prompting Hamilton to ease off and remain on the racing line. However, Verstappen was still on a timed lap, and the miscommunication resulted in a breach of the sporting regulations.
The stewards noted in their official statement that Hamilton immediately expressed frustration over the incorrect message once he realized the error. He acknowledged during the hearing that the team’s misleading radio communication directly led to him being in Verstappen’s way. Despite Hamilton’s lack of intent and the fact that the incident was a consequence of team error rather than driver negligence, the stewards emphasized that this did not excuse the infraction.
“The fact that the radio message was the cause of the impeding does not amount to a mitigating factor,” the stewards explained. “We therefore impose the standard penalty of a drop of three grid positions.”
This ruling aligns with the consistent enforcement of rules around impeding during qualifying sessions. Even though drivers often rely on their teams for accurate updates regarding surrounding traffic, it remains their responsibility to ensure they do not hinder others on track, especially during high-speed flying laps.
As a result of the penalty, Hamilton will line up seventh on the grid for Sunday’s race rather than fourth. The change reshuffles the front of the grid and could have a significant impact on race strategy, particularly given the importance of track position on Monaco’s tight and twisty street circuit, where overtaking opportunities are extremely limited.
While the mistake originated from within the Ferrari garage, the stewards’ decision sends a clear message about accountability and the importance of maintaining awareness during qualifying. Hamilton, who has had a challenging season adapting to life at Ferrari, will now face a tougher challenge in his quest for a strong result at one of the most iconic venues on the Formula 1 calendar.
