Just In: FIA announce Hamilton and Verstappen penalty verdict at Qatar Grand Prix after…read more
FIA announce Hamilton and Verstappen penalty verdict at Qatar Grand Prix after…read more
The FIA has concluded its investigation into Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and 15 other drivers following sprint qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix, announcing that no penalties will be issued. This investigation stemmed from claims that several drivers failed to adhere to a minimum lap time requirement of 1:40.0, which was set to prevent field bunching during the session.
Lando Norris secured pole position for the sprint race, highlighting McLaren’s strong performance as they battled Ferrari for second place in the Constructors’ Championship. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, set the third-fastest time, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc managed P4 and P5 respectively. Despite the focus on this close rivalry, attention shifted to the unusual investigation involving 17 drivers, including two world champions.
The list of drivers under scrutiny included Norris, Piastri, Sainz, Leclerc, and Hamilton, alongside Verstappen, George Russell, Kevin Magnussen, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, Valtteri Bottas, Alex Albon, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, Franco Colapinto, and Zhou Guanyu. The FIA’s decision was highly anticipated, given the scale of the inquiry and the high-profile names involved.
After reviewing the incident, the FIA stewards determined that no further action would be necessary. According to their statement, the drivers involved acted appropriately to avoid impeding others on track. The stewards highlighted that the affected drivers slowed down significantly when required, ensuring clear track conditions for their competitors.
“The stewards determined that the drivers took appropriate actions to not impede other drivers, and where required slowed down significantly to allow other drivers to pass while giving those drivers a clear track,” read the official statement. “The stewards therefore determine that the drivers concerned did not drive ‘unnecessarily slowly,’ and that evidently the reason they were above the maximum time was due to their appropriate actions and take no further action.”
This verdict provides clarity ahead of what promises to be an exciting sprint race, with McLaren in strong form and Ferrari eager to respond. For fans, the resolution ensures a fair playing field as the drivers focus on delivering top performances under Qatar’s challenging conditions. With no penalties disrupting the grid, the stage is set for a thrilling continuation of the weekend’s racing action.
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