Kimi Antonelli, a Mercedes competitor, received a three-place grid penalty for the upcoming Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix. This decision was made by race stewards after qualifying, citing Antonelli's failure to sufficiently decrease his speed during a yellow flag incident. This penalty will see him start the race from seventh position instead of his initial fourth, a significant setback for the championship leader. The incident also draws parallels with another penalty issued to Lewis Hamilton for a similar infraction.
During the qualifying session at the Hungaroring, Antonelli secured the fourth starting position, placing him behind McLaren's pole-sitter Lando Norris and the two Ferrari cars. However, in the closing moments of his final qualifying lap, a yellow flag was displayed in the last corner. This was due to Max Verstappen's Red Bull being stationary in the runoff area following a spin. Despite the caution, Antonelli managed to improve his sector time, which prompted an investigation into whether he had adhered to the yellow flag regulations.
The stewards' inquiry revealed that while Antonelli had indeed lifted off the throttle earlier than during his previous fast lap, the speed reduction was minimal and brief. Crucially, his car's speed at the incident site was slightly higher than his previous lap due to less aggressive braking into the corner. The FIA representatives highlighted that the observed speed reduction within the mini-sector was less than one percent, which they deemed insufficient. This contrasted with other incidents where drivers received no further action due to a more substantial speed delta.
Although the standard penalty for such an offense is a five-place grid drop, the stewards applied a more lenient three-place penalty. They acknowledged Antonelli's attempt to reduce speed, albeit an insufficient one, and considered the limited time and distance he had to react. Alongside the grid demotion, the 19-year-old also received a penalty point on his racing license. In a related development, Lewis Hamilton also faced a three-place grid penalty for impeding Oscar Piastri in Turn 1, leading to Piastri and Verstappen moving up to the second row of the grid.