Hamilton Surprised: Penalty in Monza After Accident in Dutch GP

Pilot Lewis Hamilton expressed his surprise upon learning of the five-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix. The sanction was imposed by the stewards after the Dutch Grand Prix, because Hamilton exceeded the speed limits under double yellow flags during a reconnaissance lap. Because Hamilton abandoned last Sunday’s race, the stewards’ decision turned a time penalty into a grid penalty for the race in Monza. The Ferrari driver revealed that he was not informed of the penalty until he returned home on Sunday night.

I don’t know how the other drivers felt about the decisions of the last race, but I got home and saw that I had this penalty and, to be honest, I was very surprised. But hey, it is what it is.

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton explained that, although he slowed down, it was not enough according to the stewards’ standards, which resulted in the penalty and points on his license. The driver admitted that the weekend will be a challenge, especially because the qualifying is very tight among all the teams. Getting into Q3 is already difficult, and being in the top five is even more complicated. Despite the penalty, Hamilton feels motivated to fight and regain positions in the race.

After a series of complicated results before the F1 summer break, Hamilton believes he made progress during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, despite his race ending in the walls. He also hinted at several factors that led to his accident, in which he lost the rear of his Ferrari after going off in wet conditions at the banked Turn 3. Hamilton highlighted that the team’s approach was correct throughout the weekend and that he felt it was one of the strongest and most fluid until Sunday. The pilot mentioned that the team has been very positive and understanding, even after the incident. He delved into the analysis to understand what led to the accident, as it was not just a lack of concentration. Among the contributing factors, a degraded gear change was mentioned, which locked the rear wheels and caused the rear end to slide out, in addition to the rain. Hamilton stated that he learned from the experience and will apply the same approach in the upcoming races, feeling optimistic about the direction he is taking.