Hungary Grand Prix: Hamilton loses P2 after qualif...

By Rohan Gupta — 25 July 2026 — 4 min read

Lewis Hamilton has been issued a three-place grid penalty for the Hungarian Grand Prix after an incident during qualifying. Originally, Hamilton had secured P2 at the Hungaroring, but the penalty means he will now start the race from fifth position on the grid.

The penalty was imposed because Hamilton impeded Oscar Piastri of McLaren during the qualifying session. The incident occurred as Piastri was attempting to improve his lap time, but Hamilton, reportedly unaware of Piastri’s approach, blocked him at Turn 1. This forced Piastri to go off track limits, abort his lap, and ultimately settle for a P5 qualifying position.

Qualifying Session Details and Penalties

During the qualifying session, the top 10 drivers were preparing for their final laps. Hamilton had provisionally taken the top spot before Lando Norris secured pole position for the first time this season, relegating Hamilton to second place. Following the session, an investigation into the incident with Piastri was announced.

Hamilton admitted after qualifying that his mind was elsewhere and he was unsure if he had impeded anyone, stating he was not aware of anyone approaching. The stewards reviewed video, telemetry, team radio, and in-car video evidence, and heard from both drivers and team representatives. They determined that Hamilton’s car was travelling at a significantly reduced speed on the racing line at the approach to Turn 1 while Piastri’s car was on a push lap.

Hamilton explained that he had just completed a fast lap and did not receive a team radio message about Piastri’s approaching car until it was already close. He also stated that Piastri’s car was not visible in his mirrors due to his car’s positioning. Piastri was forced to take evasive action, running wide and aborting his lap.

The stewards concluded that Hamilton’s car unnecessarily impeded Piastri’s car during qualifying. In accordance with the regulations and established penalty guidelines, a three-place grid penalty was imposed on Hamilton. This penalty promotes Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli, and Piastri by one position each on the grid.

In a separate incident, Kimi Antonelli also received a three-place grid penalty. This was for not slowing down sufficiently under single yellow flags after Max Verstappen spun at the final corner. Antonelli, who initially qualified fourth, will now start seventh, behind his Mercedes teammate George Russell.

The revised grid for the race sees Lando Norris in pole position, followed by Charles Leclerc in second, Oscar Piastri in third, Max Verstappen in fourth, and Lewis Hamilton in fifth. George Russell will start sixth, with Kimi Antonelli in seventh. Isack Hadjar will start eighth, ahead of Arvid Lindblad and Nico Hulkenberg.

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JULY 25: Second placed qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia — BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 25: Second placed qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Credit: formula1.com

Driver Reactions and Team Strategy

Hamilton expressed disappointment with his final lap, stating he was a second slower than his first run. He mentioned a snap into Turn One that put him down by 0.15 seconds, leading to a cascaded effect. He felt the car had the potential for pole position but he did not deliver on that final lap.

Regarding the impeding incident, Hamilton noted he was not warned of Piastri’s approach by his team until Piastri was already at the apex behind him. He believed he was the first car out and that everyone else had finished their laps, making the incident unintentional.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur took responsibility for the communication error, stating that if there was a mistake, it was the team’s for informing Hamilton too late about Piastri’s approach. Hamilton also questioned the team’s strategy of sending him out first for his final run, stating he would not have chosen to go first.

Norris, who secured pole position, expressed his happiness to be back on top, especially at a track where pole position is desirable. He admitted his laps in Q3 were not his best, making his pole position a pleasant surprise. Verstappen, meanwhile, voiced concerns over his car’s unpredictable handling after his spin.

Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin made a breakthrough by progressing to Q2 for the first time this season, following updates to their car. He will start 16th, and expressed optimism that the team is addressing the car’s weaknesses. Alonso noted a change in optimism within the factory.

All drivers faced challenges with the Hungaroring track surface, which was breaking up, particularly in the final two corners. Norris highlighted the difficulty in judging grip levels in these sections. Russell also encountered an issue during his final run, with a water leak spraying water onto his rear tyres, leading him to pull over after crossing the line to avoid engine damage.

Antonelli acknowledged that the yellow flag came as he was entering the corner, and he attempted to lift off the throttle. Despite his efforts, the stewards found his speed was slightly higher than on his previous push lap, leading to his penalty. The Hungarian Grand Prix race is scheduled for Sunday at 2pm.