Lewis Hamilton has been handed a three-place grid penalty for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix after impeding Max Verstappen during qualifying—a setback that drops the Ferrari driver from fourth to seventh on the starting grid .
What Happened?
The incident occurred in Q1 at the Massenet corner. Hamilton was driving slowly on the racing line when Verstappen, on a fast lap, approached at high speed. A miscommunication from Hamilton’s race engineer led him to believe Verstappen was on a cooldown lap, prompting Hamilton to accelerate and inadvertently block Verstappen .
Both drivers and their teams were summoned by the FIA stewards post-qualifying. Despite Ferrari’s acknowledgment of the error, the stewards imposed the standard penalty for such infractions, emphasizing that team miscommunication does not mitigate the driver’s responsibility .
Sportsmanship Displayed
Following the incident, Hamilton personally apologized to Verstappen. The two were seen shaking hands, a moment that garnered praise from fans for their professionalism and sportsmanship .
Impact on the Race
Hamilton’s penalty places him seventh on the grid, behind Verstappen, who moves up to fourth. With overtaking notoriously difficult on Monaco’s tight circuit, this grid drop poses a significant challenge for Hamilton’s race strategy. The race is further complicated by new regulations mandating two pit stops, aiming to increase on-track action .
The 2025 Monaco Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 2:00 PM local time (1:00 PM BST)
