Overview
- FIA stewards ruled Lewis Hamilton did not slow sufficiently under double‑waved yellows in SQ2 and issued a reprimand instead of the guideline five‑place grid drop, citing prior similar cases.
- Onboard footage showed the yellow panel was illuminated only for a fraction of a second at Bico de Pato, which the stewards accepted as a credible reason he did not perceive the light.
- The decision noted Hamilton saw Charles Leclerc’s stationary car and a green panel beyond, obliging him to recognize a yellow sector and reduce speed discernibly.
- Telemetry indicated only a brief throttle hesitation without the required speed decrease, leading to the deletion of the lap time and his failure to reach SQ3.
- Hamilton will start the sprint from 11th, extending a season of flag‑rule scrutiny that included a five‑place penalty after the Dutch GP despite some reports incorrectly framing him as cleared.