Kimi Antonelli has been issued a three-place grid penalty for the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix following an infringement during Saturday’s Qualifying session. The championship leader’s penalty was confirmed after a post-Qualifying investigation found he failed to adequately reduce speed under yellow flag conditions.
The incident occurred in Q3 when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen spun. Stewards determined that Antonelli did not slow down sufficiently for the yellow flags that were displayed. This action breached Appendix H, Article 2.5.5 b) of the International Sporting Code and B1.8.4a of the FIA F1 Regulations.
Stewards’ Decision and Impact on Grid
Antonelli had initially qualified in fourth position. He had also provisionally moved up a spot on the grid due to a separate three-place penalty issued to Lewis Hamilton for impeding McLaren rival Oscar Piastri at the conclusion of Q3. However, with his own penalty, the Italian driver will now start Sunday’s race from seventh place.
The stewards’ document detailed their findings, noting that while Antonelli stated he lifted off the throttle earlier than on his previous push lap upon seeing the yellow flag and light panel, the reduction in speed was brief. Telemetry data verified the early lift, but the car’s speed when passing the scene of Verstappen’s incident was slightly higher than during his prior push lap.
The investigation further revealed that Antonelli’s mini sector time was only 0.03 seconds slower than his best time for that mini sector. Despite lifting 16 metres earlier, which made him 14 km/h slower entering the yellow flag sector, he was 3 km/h faster when passing the incident site due to less brake application into the corner. FIA representatives highlighted that the speed reduction in the mini sector was less than 1%.
The stewards considered this incident distinct from others where no further action was taken, primarily because there was no significant speed differential through the mini sector compared to the driver’s previous fastest time under similar circumstances. The recommended penalty for such an offence, according to penalty guidelines, is typically a five-grid position drop. However, in mitigation, the stewards acknowledged that Antonelli did attempt a speed reduction, though it was deemed insufficient and unsustained. They also noted that the driver had limited time and distance to react, leading to a reduced penalty.
This penalty adds to the challenge for Antonelli as he aims to extend his lead in the Drivers’ Championship standings. In a separate Qualifying incident, Antonelli also received a warning from the stewards for driving unnecessarily slowly during an in-lap.
Revised Starting Grid for Hungarian Grand Prix
The penalties issued to both Hamilton and Antonelli have altered the starting order for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The revised grid is as follows:
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
- Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)
- Esteban Ocon (Haas)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Ollie Bearman (Haas)
- Carlos Sainz (Williams)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)
- Sergio Perez (Cadillac)
The Hungarian Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday.
Source: formula1.com
Niamh Pendlebury is the Sports Reporter at NewsGB.org, covering tennis, cricket and athletics with seven years of reporting experience. She reported on Team GB and the county circuit. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of Central Lancashire and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Preston, she plays club tennis and follows road running. “The best interviews come from patience, not pressure.”