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FIA announced Penalty on Hamilton after… see details

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have avoided penalties at the Dutch Grand Prix after the FIA stewards ruled that their breach of the International Sporting Code did not warrant punishment.

The incident occurred before Saturday’s Sprint race at Zandvoort, where Hamilton finished seventh and Verstappen crossed the line in sixth. Both drivers, along with Yuki Tsunoda, Lance Stroll and Valtteri Bottas, were investigated by the stewards for failing to comply with the Race Director’s Competition Notes.

The five drivers were found to have breached Article 12.2.1.i of the International Sporting Code, which covers non-compliance with instructions contained in the Race Director’s Event Notes. Specifically, all five cars stopped before reaching Safety Car Line 1 while making their way to the starting grid.

The regulation became relevant because the Race Director’s notes defined the grid as the section of track beginning at the front of grid box number one and ending at Safety Car Line 1. Drivers were therefore expected to reach that designated area under their own power.

Despite technically failing to meet the requirement, the stewards decided that none of the drivers should receive a sporting penalty.

In Hamilton’s case, the stewards explained that the Ferrari driver stopped before Safety Car Line 1 and therefore did not technically reach the grid as defined by the Race Director’s notes. However, they also noted that the end of the grid was extremely congested when Hamilton arrived.

According to the stewards, Hamilton made the correct decision by stopping his Ferrari in a safe location as close to the grid as possible rather than attempting to force his way into an overcrowded area.

After reviewing the available in-car video footage, the stewards reached the same conclusion for Verstappen, Tsunoda, Stroll and Bottas. All five drivers were therefore cleared of any further punishment despite the technical infringement.

The decision means Hamilton and Verstappen were able to retain their Sprint finishing positions without any additional penalties affecting their Dutch Grand Prix weekend.

The ruling also highlights the importance of circumstances surrounding a sporting infringement. While the drivers technically failed to comply with the wording of the Race Director’s instructions, the stewards considered safety and the crowded nature of the grid before deciding whether punishment was appropriate.

With the Sprint race already completed, attention now turns to the remainder of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, with Hamilton and Verstappen continuing their respective championship battles without any penalty added to their results.

The FIA’s decision ultimately confirms that the five drivers committed the same technical breach, but their actions were considered reasonable given the conditions they encountered when approaching the grid. Consequently, no penalties were issued.