Lewis Hamilton was handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Oscar Piastri during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, sparking frustration and on-track drama as Max Verstappen also voiced complaints during the race.
Qualifying Penalty
Hamilton had finished second in qualifying but was deemed to have impeded Piastri in the closing stages. The stewards stated: "The driver of Car 44 explained that he had just completed a fast lap and did not receive the team's radio message regarding the approaching Car 81 until the latter was already in close proximity." Hamilton was demoted to fifth on the grid, while Kimi Antonelli also received a penalty, dropping from fourth to seventh.
Apology and Race Day
Hamilton apologised for his post-qualifying attitude, saying: "Forgive me for my attitude after qualifying, because I'd done such a great session, and then got the call right at the last minute. It was tough to swallow, but it is what it is." He added: "It's a new day with new opportunities."
Race Drama
At the start, Lando Norris lost the lead to McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. George Russell's anti-stall caused him to drop to 18th. Later, Piastri collided with lapped Williams driver Carlos Sainz, angrily saying: "Get out of the f***ing way you idiot. Oh my god." Verstappen, who started fourth, complained about Hamilton moving under braking: "I don't want to complain but that was again moving under braking. It's nice action, but it's not right." Hamilton had managed to undercut Verstappen but the Dutchman reclaimed the position.
Starting Grid and Standings
The top ten start positions were: 1 Lando Norris, 2 Charles Leclerc, 3 Oscar Piastri, 4 Max Verstappen, 5 Lewis Hamilton, 6 George Russell, 7 Kimi Antonelli, 8 Isack Hadjar, 9 Arvid Lindblad, 10 Nico Hulkenberg.
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Formula 1 confirmed that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit from October 2-4 2026, preserving a race that would otherwise have not happened.
