Hamilton explains Piastri impeding incident after costly Hungarian GP grid penalty
Lewis Hamilton has explained the misunderstanding that led to his post-qualifying penalty at the Hungarian Grand Prix, insisting he was only informed about Oscar Piastri approaching at full speed when it was already too late to react.
The Ferrari driver had initially qualified second, just 0.012 seconds behind pole-sitter Lando Norris, but was handed a three-place grid penalty after the stewards ruled that he impeded McLaren's Oscar Piastri during the closing moments of Q3.
The sanction drops Hamilton to fifth on the starting grid.
Speaking after qualifying, Hamilton said the incident was the result of a communication failure rather than any deliberate attempt to block the Australian.
"I was told literally when he was at the apex behind me, so I had no idea he was coming," Hamilton explained.
The seven-time world champion believed that the cars behind him were also on preparation laps after leaving the pits, leaving him unaware that Piastri was beginning a flying lap.
"I thought everyone was on an out-lap. Everyone came out behind me. I was the first out, so I thought everyone had finished their lap."
Hamilton also explained that he believed his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc was the closest car behind when he exited the pit lane.
"Charles, I think, was the car that was behind me when I left the pit lane, as far as I was aware."
The late warning left Hamilton with virtually no opportunity to move out of Piastri's way before the McLaren driver reached Turn 1.
"So, yeah, crazy, because it had been clean, and obviously it wasn't intentional."
The stewards nevertheless deemed that Hamilton had unnecessarily impeded Piastri and issued the standard three-place grid penalty, promoting Leclerc to the front row alongside Norris while Hamilton falls to fifth for Sunday's race.
