Lewis Hamilton and championship leader Kimi Antonelli have both been handed grid penalties that will reshuffle the front of the Hungarian Grand Prix starting grid. The penalties stem from separate incidents during qualifying and have resulted in Hamilton dropping to fifth place and Antonelli to seventh, despite Antonelli leading the drivers' standings by 45 points over the seven-time world champion. Initially, Ferrari’s Hamilton was penalised three grid spots for allegedly impeding McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri at the end of Q3.
The stewards concluded that Hamilton, who had just completed his final flying lap, slowed unexpectedly on the racing line, forcing Piastri to abort his own attempt and lose time. As a result, Hamilton fell behind Antonelli, who had originally qualified fourth. Shortly thereafter, a second three‑place penalty was imposed on Hamilton for not reducing speed sufficiently when a yellow flag was displayed after Max Verstappen spun at the final corner. The combined effect sees Hamilton start the race from fifth position, while his teammate George Russell will line up ahead of Antonelli in sixth.
The revised top ten for the Hungarian Grand Prix now reads: 1) Lando Norris (McLaren), 2) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 3) Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 4) Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 5) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 6) George Russell (Mercedes), 7) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 8) Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), 9) Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), 10) Nico Hulkenberg (Audi). Norris secured pole after Hamilton’s penalty promoted Leclerc onto the front row, while Piastri moved up to third and Verstappen to fourth.
Hamilton’s string of steward interventions has now reached three consecutive race weekends. He previously served a five‑second in‑race penalty for a false start at Silverstone and was later handed a penalty for a first‑lap collision with Russell in Belgium. In an Instagram post on Saturday evening, the British driver expressed his frustration: "Sometimes you just can't catch a break. Another weekend when I've been feeling great throughout all the sessions, but then it just falls apart.
To go from being so close to pole to then starting P5 is extremely frustrating." He continued, "I always try to stay positive – sport is about the highs and the lows, but it's also about the margins. Every point matters and you have to seize every opportunity. After three penalties in three weekends, it's becoming difficult to hang on to that positivity. Still, I won't let the setbacks take away from the progress we've been making as a team.
With the pace we have, I'm hopeful we can get something out of the race tomorrow. The car has been feeling better and better, and we've been competitive all weekend. Tonight, we'll keep working hard together to give ourselves the best possible chance tomorrow. I always enjoy this track, so keep the faith and send good vibes for the race." The incident that triggered Hamilton’s first penalty involved the final lap of qualifying.
After completing his run, Hamilton slowed as he crossed the start‑finish line, inadvertently blocking Piastri, who was on a push lap for his own final attempt. The stewards reviewed video, telemetry and radio transmissions, concluding that Hamilton’s reduced speed on the racing line was unnecessary and forced Piastri to take evasive action, ultimately costing the McLaren driver a chance at a better grid position.
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur accepted responsibility, stating, "We told him about Piastri but it was far too late. If there's a mistake, it's our mistake." Hamilton himself explained that he was unaware of Piastri’s approach, believing he was the first driver out and that everyone else would follow later.
He admitted, "I thought everyone came out behind me. I was the first out, so I thought everyone had finished the lap." The second penalty for Hamilton related to a yellow‑flag situation at the Hungaroring’s final corner, where Max Verstappen spun and marshals displayed a caution flag. Hamilton failed to decelerate sufficiently, prompting another three‑place grid drop. Antonelli’s case was separate but similarly involved a yellow‑flag infringement.
While approaching the final corner, he entered the runoff area where Verstappen’s car was stationary. Antonelli claimed he lifted off the throttle as soon as the flag appeared, but stewards found his speed reduction was marginal and not sustained long enough. Typically, such an infraction would merit a five‑place penalty, but the panel considered his partial compliance a mitigating factor and reduced the sanction to three places.
Antonelli, who currently leads the championship, said, "The yellow flag came while I was entering the corner so I tried my best to lift. I did lift but gave up quite a bit of minimum speed compared to before.
It was a shame." The stewards concluded that although he did reduce speed, it was insufficient, leading to the grid demotion. The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend schedule includes a full programme of support races: the F3 Feature Race at 7:35 am, Porsche Supercup at 9:05 am, F2 Feature Race at 10:20 am, followed by the Grand Prix build‑up from 12:30 pm and the main race at 2:00 pm. The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event, with streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract. Both drivers now face the challenge of converting their compromised starting positions into points.
Hamilton remains optimistic about the car’s improving performance over the weekend, while Antonelli will aim to recover from his three‑place drop and maintain his championship lead. The penalties underscore the fine margins in Formula 1, where a fraction of a second or a slight misjudgement under yellow‑flag conditions can have significant repercussions for the race weekend.