In a significant development ahead of the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton has been handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen during the first qualifying session (Q1). The incident occurred at the Massenet corner, where Hamilton, misinformed by his Ferrari race engineer, inadvertently obstructed Verstappen, who was on a fast lap. This miscommunication led to Verstappen having to take evasive action to avoid a collision.
Originally qualifying fourth, Hamilton’s penalty drops him to seventh on the starting grid. Consequently, Verstappen moves up to fourth, with Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso also benefiting by each gaining a position.
The stewards acknowledged that the obstruction was unintentional and resulted from incorrect information provided to Hamilton. However, they emphasized that such miscommunications do not mitigate the responsibility of the driver to be aware of faster cars approaching, leading to the standard penalty being applied.
Hamilton expressed frustration over the incident, particularly regarding the misleading message from his team. He was heard on the team radio questioning the information provided, indicating his surprise at Verstappen’s approach speed.
Despite the penalty, Verstappen appeared understanding of the situation, recognizing that the obstruction was not deliberate. The two drivers reportedly discussed the incident post-qualifying, with no lingering tensions between them.
This penalty adds to a challenging weekend for Hamilton, who had earlier crashed during final practice. Starting from seventh on a circuit known for its limited overtaking opportunities will require strategic acumen and resilience if he is to contend for a podium finish.