Lewis Hamilton was taken before the stewards for allegedly obstructing Sergio Perez during qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton has been handed a three-place grid penalty for the Dutch Grand Prix following a meeting with the F1 stewards in Zandvoort.
The Mercedes driver was pulled in front of the stewards for attempting to hinder Sergio Perez at Turn 9 during Q1, when Perez was on a flying lap.
Hamilton was on a cool-down lap and was as far to the left side of the track as possible, allowing Perez to pass, but the two collided when the Red Bull took the natural racing line to the left to clear the right-hander of Turn 10.
Perez labeled Hamilton “an idiot” for the incident and demanded a penalty against the seven-time world champion.
Following the incident, Hamilton had a difficult session and did not advance to Q3, finishing 12th in the second qualifying section.
With the punishment in effect, Hamilton will start the race from 14th on the grid, having regained one spot after Alex Albon was disqualified.
Hamilton verdict in full.
The team warned the driver of Car 44, who was on an in lap, that Car 11 was approaching on a fast lap as he neared Turn 8.
He then went off-line at the Turn 8 exit, intending to give way to Car 11.
However, when Car 11 arrived, Car 44 had already entered Turn 9 and returned to the racing line at the exit of Turn 9, visibly blocking Car 11.
The Stewards conclude that, while the team provided an acceptable warning and the driver attempted to move out of the way, he could have slowed down more to avoid obstructing the other car, and thus consider the impeding to be superfluous in the spirit of the regulations.
As a result, a grid drop is implemented in accordance with previous judgments.
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