Hamilton and Antonelli hit with grid penalties for F1 round

Two Formula 1 drivers will drop from their initial qualifying positions ahead of Sunday's race. Kimi Antonelli, who qualified fourth, was penalized for insufficiently reducing speed under yellow flags. The incident occurred when Max Verstappen's car stopped at the final corner. Although telemetry showed a slight lift off the throttle, stewards deemed the speed reduction inadequate and too brief—Antonelli actually passed the scene slightly faster than his previous fast lap. As a result, the championship leader drops from fourth to seventh on the grid.

Lewis Hamilton received an identical three-place penalty for impeding Oscar Piastri at the end of Q3. Hamilton was driving slowly on the racing line on the main straight and did not receive a timely team radio warning about the approaching competitor, forcing Piastri to abandon his flying lap. Hamilton falls from second to fifth.

Meanwhile, George Russell's car developed a fluid leak after he touched the curb at the exit of Turn 4 at the end of qualifying. Although Mercedes had to replace his power unit, Russell avoided a penalty because the same specification was used and seasonal limits were not exceeded. He will start sixth.