Impeding Carlos Sainz-Lewis Hamilton: penalty confirmed by Suzuka stewards – Japan GP. Suzuka: Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton were involved in an impeding incident.

A penalty has been issued by the stewards to Carlos Sainz for impeding Lewis Hamilton during the Japan GP qualifying. The Spanish driver, who races for Williams, has been penalized with 3 grid positions for impeding Ferrari’s driver number 44, as stated by the FIA regulations.

As a result, the Spanish driver has been moved back, while the Ferrari driver retains the eighth position he earned in Q3, despite being slightly behind his teammate Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque, in fact, secured the second row.

Carlos Sainz penalty for impeding Lewis Hamilton: what happened?
During Q2 of the Japan GP qualifying, the FIA (and others) noticed an impeding incident involving Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton. The Spaniard forced the seven-time world champion to abort his lap and jeopardized his entry into Q3. But what happened?

At the end of Q2, with only a few seconds remaining, Sainz had just completed his lap, which left him out of Q3. Behind him, Hamilton was preparing to launch his lap to secure a place in Q3. As they entered the first corner, Sainz blocked Hamilton, who was forced to abandon his lap.

“Too slow, what the heck!” commented the Ferrari driver, unable to continue pushing and forced to abort the lap. It seems that Williams did not warn the Spaniard about Hamilton being on a flying lap just behind him.