SM
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid: 16 hrs 31 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Lewis Hamilton handed three-place grid penalty at Austrian Grand Prix

:Headline: Lewis Hamilton handed three-place grid penalty at Austrian Grand Prix: ID:363326: from db_amp
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will start on pole for the second time in his career.

Lewis Hamilton was dealt the first significant blow of his title romp after he was penalised three grid places for the Austrian Grand Prix.

The world champion will line up from fifth in Sunday's race at the Red Bull Ring, punished for blocking Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen in qualifying.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, 21, secured pole position, with Red Bull star Max Verstappen, also 21, promoted to second. The duo will form the youngest front row in the sport's history.

For Sebastian Vettel, his torrid time of late has extended into another weekend. An engine problem prevented him from starting a lap in the shootout for pole, and the German, already 76 points Hamilton in the championship standings, will start a lowly ninth.

Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas was promoted to third, while British teenager Lando Norris, just 19, will also take advantage of Hamilton's penalty to line up a career-best fourth.

Hamilton should have been on the front row at the Red Bull Ring, but for an uncharacteristic mistake in the opening moments of qualifying.

Kimi Raikkonen was blocked by Lewis Hamilton (David Davies/PA)

He had just left the pits when Raikkonen, who was on a quick lap, came across the Briton's slow Mercedes at the top of the hill on the approach to Turn 3.

Hamilton saw Raikkonen at the last minute, but in attempting to get out of the fast-approaching Finn's way, instead crossed his path and thwarted his lap.

"Hamilton completely blocked me," said an angry Raikkonen on the team radio after giving Hamilton the middle finger.

“I take full responsibility. It wasn't intentional.”
- Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton was hauled in front of the stewards. After hearing from the world champion, and reviewing video evidence, they deemed he "unnecessarily impeded" Raikkonen, throwing him down the grid.
"I totally deserved the penalty and have no problem accepting it," said Hamilton. "It was a mistake on my behalf, and I take full responsibility. It wasn't intentional."

Hamilton's Mercedes boss Toto Wolff added: "The rule book says if you impede someone, and it is clear, then you get a three-place penalty.

"It is not the driver's fault, but there is a precedent, and we have to accept that."

Lewis Hamilton accepted his punishment (Ronald Zak/AP)

Hamilton's punishment has played its part in a topsy-turvy grid, providing hope of an exciting race – much-needed after last week's tedious affair in France.

Leclerc will line up from the front for the second time in his career, the power-heavy track suiting the straight-line grunt in his Ferrari. The young Monegasque will be the favourite to win his first grand prix and end Mercedes' unbeaten streak.

Norris, the teenager from Somerset, has adapted to Formula One life with staggering ease.

Here, he got the very best out of his McLaren to qualify sixth, before he was bumped up two spots after Hamilton's punishment and a five-place grid drop for Kevin Magnussen following a gearbox change on his Haas.

The rising McLaren star will have a 34-year-old five-time world champion breathing down his neck on the 300-metre charge to the opening corner.

But an unfazed Norris said: "It won't be any different starting ahead of Lewis. He is just another guy I have to beat.

Lando Norris will start fourth in Austria (David Davies/PA)

"At the end of the day, he will get past because he has a quicker car. The aim, however, is to keep him behind."

Norris's fellow novice George Russell beat Robert Kubica in the sister Williams to extend his qualifying record over the Pole to a remarkable 9-0.

But the 21-year-old Englishman will start from the back of the pack, like Hamilton, penalised three places for blocking another driver, this time the Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat.

amp_article__363326 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-07-01 14:29:51:
html db last update - 2019-07-01 14:29:51 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Lewis Hamilton

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .