Hamilton Handed Grid Penalty for Blocking Verstappen in Monaco Qualifying

Hamilton Handed Grid Penalty for Blocking Verstappen in Monaco Qualifying

Lewis Hamilton will start the Monaco Grand Prix three places lower than initially qualified after stewards ruled he impeded Max Verstappen during Saturday’s qualifying session.

The incident occurred during Q1 at the Massenet section, where Hamilton was seen moving slowly as Verstappen approached on a flying lap. The Red Bull driver had to adjust his line to avoid the Mercedes, expressing frustration over team radio in the moment.

Both drivers advanced through Q1 and Q2, eventually locking in spots in the top five — Verstappen qualifying fourth and Hamilton fifth. But following a post-session review, the stewards determined Hamilton had unnecessarily impeded his rival, issuing a three-place grid penalty.

As a result, Hamilton will now start Sunday’s race from seventh. The penalty promotes Verstappen to third, while Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso each move up one place on the starting grid.

This penalty adds to a growing list of drivers facing consequences in a tightly contested and technical Monaco weekend, where grid position is more critical than ever due to the circuit’s narrow layout and limited overtaking opportunities.