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Sainz Hit with Grid Penalty for Japanese Grand Prix After Hamilton Impeding Incident
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has received a three-place grid penalty for the Japanese Grand Prix following an incident where he impeded Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton during Q2 qualifying. The infraction will see the Spanish driver start the race from 15th position on the grid at Suzuka, despite initially qualifying in 12th. The stewards determined that Sainz obstructed Hamilton as the seven-time world champion began a fast lap at Turn One, while Sainz was concluding his own.
Stewards Impose Penalty for Qualifying Infraction
Hamilton was compelled to take evasive action, forcing him to abandon his timed lap in the first sector of the circuit. Following the incident, Sainz was promptly summoned for investigation by race stewards. After reviewing the evidence, they handed down a three-place grid penalty. This demotion places Sainz behind Fernando Alonso, Liam Lawson, and Yuki Tsunoda on the starting grid for Sunday’s race.
Team Communication Under Scrutiny in Stewards’ Decision
In their official explanation, the stewards stated: “The driver of Car 55 [Sainz] reported that he received no warning from his team regarding the approach of Car 44 [Hamilton] who was commencing a push lap. He indicated surprise at Hamilton’s rapid approach speed and his car’s angle, which prevented him from seeing Car 44 in his mirrors.”
The stewards’ statement continued, highlighting team responsibility: “However, regardless of the driver’s statement, the team had substantial advance notice that Car 44 was on an out lap while Car 55 was on a push lap. Furthermore, over eight seconds elapsed between the point at which it became clear Car 44 would not enter the pits, and would therefore begin a push lap, and the time Car 55 could have taken corrective measures if the driver had been alerted by the team.”
Standard Penalty Applied for Impeding Offence
“It is noted that the established penalty guideline for this type of infraction during Qualifying, irrespective of driver or team fault, is a three-grid position penalty. The Stewards therefore concluded that the standard penalty was appropriate and should be implemented,” the official report detailed.
Despite the impeding incident not ultimately costing Hamilton a place in Q3, Sainz expressed frustration after qualifying concluded. His fastest lap time was only sufficient for eighth on the grid, while his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc secured fourth position.
Hamilton’s Challenging Grid Position
Hamilton faces another challenging Grand Prix start, following his disqualification from the previous race due to a technical infringement. The veteran British driver is set to start Sunday’s race behind rookies Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar.
“Not good enough from my side,” Hamilton, aged 40, commented post-qualifying. “P8 is disappointing. We are running a higher ride height than preferred, but it’s the same for everyone. Charles [Leclerc] performed exceptionally well. We explored different setup directions. I struggled with significant understeer and couldn’t find the right balance.”