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Lewis Hamilton started the Austrian Grand Prix in fifth place in 2020 after being penalised for a yellow-flag infringement. Hamilton qualified second fastest and initially escaped punishment for failing to slow for yellow flags when his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas went off the road and through the gravel on their final laps. However, just an hour before the race began, the stewards summoned Mercedes after Red Bull filed a petition for a review of the decision. The stewards reviewed new video footage from Hamilton's car, which had not been available earlier due to intermittent failures, and decided to penalise him.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for starting 5th | Penalised for a yellow-flag infringement |
| Date | 5 July 2020 |
| Race | Austrian Grand Prix |
| Driver | Lewis Hamilton |
| Team | Mercedes |
| Teammate | Valtteri Bottas |
| Teammate's position | 1st |
| Hamilton's qualifying position | 2nd |
| Penalty | 3-place grid penalty |
| Total penalty points | 7 |
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What You'll Learn
Lewis Hamilton's grid penalty
Hamilton's penalty was a result of his failure to follow the rules regarding yellow flags, which are used to warn drivers of potential dangers on the track, such as accidents or debris. In this case, Bottas had gone off the road and through the gravel, and Hamilton did not slow down as required. The decision to penalize Hamilton was made just before the start of the race, creating a last-minute change to the starting grid.
The application of Hamilton's penalty also involved some complexity. Due to the way penalties are applied, Magnussen's five-place grid penalty resulted in his fifth-place position remaining vacant. This meant that when Hamilton's three-place grid penalty was applied, he ended up in fifth place rather than fourth. This quirk in the regulations caused some confusion over Hamilton's starting position.
Hamilton's grid penalty in the Austrian Grand Prix was not an isolated incident. In the 2019 US Grand Prix, he started fifth due to a disappointing qualifying performance. Additionally, in the 2017 Austrian Grand Prix, he started eighth after a poor qualifying performance and a five-place grid penalty. Hamilton has faced penalties for various infractions, including track limits infringement and impeding other drivers.
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Bottas' Austrian GP win
Lewis Hamilton started the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix from fifth after being penalised for a yellow-flag infringement. This was due to his failure to slow down when his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, spun off the track during qualifying. Bottas went on to win the race, with Hamilton recovering to finish fourth.
Bottas' victory at the Austrian GP in 2020 was his first of the season and the second of his career. It was a dramatic win, with the Finn taking the lead from pole position and holding off a late charge from Sebastian Vettel, who finished second. Bottas' impressive performance was marred by a potential jumped start, but his reaction time was within the acceptable range, and he pulled away serenely at the front. The win put Bottas in contention for the title, just 15 points behind Hamilton in the standings.
Bottas' triumph in Austria was a significant moment in his career, proving his calmness and maturity under pressure. He dominated the race, showcasing precision driving and pulling away from the rest of the field. The victory also highlighted the strong performance of the Mercedes team, with Bottas and Hamilton in a battle of their own at the front. Despite concerns over gearbox issues, Bottas managed the race superbly, demonstrating his racing prowess and strategic decision-making.
Bottas' win in Austria contributed to a memorable start to the 2020 Formula One season, with racing that ebbed and flowed until the final lap. The absence of fans at the Red Bull Ring due to the coronavirus pandemic meant that the thrilling race could only be witnessed by those watching from home. Bottas' victory set the tone for a competitive season, with the Finn showcasing his talent and determination to emerge as a title contender.
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Hamilton's US Grand Prix start
Lewis Hamilton's race start at the US Grand Prix in 2019 was far from ideal. The Mercedes driver started in fifth position on Sunday after a disappointing qualifying session where his teammate Valtteri Bottas grabbed pole position with a lap record at the Circuit of the Americas. Hamilton had won five times at the Texas track since 2012, but none of those victories came from starts behind the front row.
Hamilton himself admitted that his poor qualifying performance was down to him and not the car. "I just didn't pull the laps out. The car had the capability to be on the front row. I just didn't do it today. I'll try to rectify it tomorrow," he said.
Hamilton's fifth-place start at the US Grand Prix put him in a difficult position as he chased his sixth F1 title. He had won in Mexico City the previous week and expressed his desire to clinch the 2019 title with another victory. However, he acknowledged the unlikelihood of this, stating, "I'm not looking to pull out miracles tomorrow."
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Hamilton's qualifying performance
Lewis Hamilton's qualifying performance for the Austrian Grand Prix in 2020 was a mixed bag. While he qualified second fastest, he ended up starting the race in fifth position due to a three-place grid penalty. This penalty was imposed just an hour before the race began, following a review of an incident during qualifying.
During qualifying, Hamilton's Mercedes teammate and poleman, Valtteri Bottas, went off the road and through the gravel on their final laps in Q3. Hamilton was penalised for failing to slow down for yellow flags during this incident. Initially, he escaped punishment as the stewards cited a "conflicting" green flag signal. However, after a petition from Red Bull, the stewards reviewed new video footage from Hamilton's car, which had been unavailable earlier due to technical issues. This footage showed that Hamilton had indeed passed yellow warning signs, leading to the grid penalty.
In 2017, Hamilton's qualifying performance for the Austrian Grand Prix was described as "poor," contributing to his eighth-place start and leaving him 20 points behind Ferrari driver Vettel in the championship.
Hamilton himself acknowledged a subpar qualifying performance at the US Grand Prix in 2019, where he started fifth. He attributed it to his own inability to "pull the laps out" rather than any issues with the car.
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Confusion over Hamilton's start position
There was confusion over Lewis Hamilton's starting position at the Austrian Grand Prix, with the Mercedes team believing he would start in fifth position. However, the FIA confirmed that Hamilton would actually be starting in fourth place on the provisional grid. This confusion arose due to a quirk in the regulations regarding how penalties are applied.
Hamilton had qualified in second place and was initially spared punishment for failing to slow for yellow flags when his teammate Valtteri Bottas went off the track during their final laps. However, just an hour before the race began, the stewards penalised Hamilton after reviewing new video footage of the incident, which had been submitted by Red Bull. This footage showed that Hamilton had indeed passed yellow warning signs when Bottas went off the track. As a result, Hamilton was given a three-place grid penalty, dropping him down to fifth position.
The application of Magnussen's penalty also contributed to the confusion. Magnussen qualified in fifth but incurred a five-place grid penalty, dropping him to tenth. Instead of the grid shifting upwards to fill the vacant fifth position, Magnussen's penalty was applied such that his fifth position remained vacant. This meant that when Hamilton's penalty was applied, he dropped to this vacant fifth position instead of shifting everyone below him up by one place, which is what happened with Magnussen's penalty.
Ultimately, the stewards' decision to penalise Hamilton for the yellow-flag infringement, combined with the unusual application of Magnussen's penalty, resulted in Hamilton starting the Austrian Grand Prix from fifth position, despite initial confusion over whether he would start fourth or fifth.
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Frequently asked questions
Hamilton started 5th in the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix after being penalised for a yellow-flag infringement following a second stewards’ review one hour before the race.
Hamilton started 5th in the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix after serving three places worth of grid penalties.
Hamilton started 8th in the 2017 Austrian Grand Prix. He started behind after a poor qualifying performance and a five-place grid penalty.
Hamilton started 5th in the 2019 US Grand Prix after a disappointing qualifying performance.
