The blow is harsh.
Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who dominated qualifying for the Brazilian F1 GP on Friday, will start the qualifying sprint race last on the grid on Saturday (8:30 p.m.).
The seven-time world champion saw his lap times canceled by the race marshals, who judged his DRS (the flap mounted on the rear wing of his single-seater which opens to gain top speed) not in accordance with the regulations because he was deployed more than authorized at the end of this session.
Here is how we will now line up for # F1Sprint 👇 # BrazilGP 🇧🇷 # F1 pic.twitter.com/KYXNJtOiXT
- Formula 1 (@ F1) November 13, 2021
Second in qualifying, Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), who is 19 points ahead of him in the world championship, inherits first place on the grid.
In their decision, the marshals “agree with the competitor that it is an error, rather than an intentional act, but do not find any mitigating circumstances”.
They also believe that, if Verstappen has touched this fin with his hand at the end of the “qualifiers” (for which the Dutchman was fined 50,000 euros), “it is unlikely that (his) actions caused this defect. ".
“The usual penalty for technical non-compliance, which is disqualification from the qualifying session” therefore applies.
Hamilton also penalized on Sunday
In his quest for a record eighth world title, it is a serious disappointment for Hamilton, already suffering from a penalty of five places on the starting grid of the main race on Sunday (6 p.m.), for an engine change. beyond the authorized quota per season.
He would have to prevent his rival from widening the gap beyond the 25-point mark that would protect Verstappen from retirement.
Following the disqualification of its leader, the Finnish lieutenant of Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas, is promoted to the front row.
The second row goes to the Mexican Sergio PĂ©rez (Red Bull) and the French Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), who won his first podium (2nd) in Brazil in 2019.