CONFIRMED: Hamilton received three place grid penalty, Verstappen starts from P2!
- Thierry Bakker
At first it seemed that a grid penalty saved Lewis Hamilton, but after protests from Red Bull Racing, the Briton has to start from P5. The driver of Mercedes got a grid penalty of three places because he still went full throttle under the yellow flag. In the end he improved his time, but didn't manage to get pole.
Nevertheless the stewards decided to give the driver of Mercedes three places penalty, because the driver did see that Valtteri Bottas ended up next to the track. So Red Bull's protest worked and because of this Verstappen will start in second place. Last year he also started on P2, but due to a bad start he dropped back to eighth place.
It's a very late decision of Red Bull to ask for a protest, but in the end the protest worked and Hamilton has to start from P5. The signs on the starting grid have already been changed and Red Bull is getting ready to start from P2 and Mercedes is ready on P5. Officially the FIA hasn't confirmed anything yet, but everything points to Hamilton having to start from fifth place.
UPDATE: Red Bull confirmed P2 for Verstappen!
Here's how the Bulls line up on the grid for the #AustrianGP #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/dWBsOktXey
— Aston Martin Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) July 5, 2020
@LewisHamilton has a grid penalty here in Austria.
— Martin Brundle (@MBrundleF1) July 5, 2020
The timing screens now have Hamilton in fifth, so it seems pretty certain, despite no official confirmation yet
— Andrew Benson (@andrewbensonf1) July 5, 2020
... pic.twitter.com/r6BUPb6V74
— Christian Menath (@MSM_Christian) July 5, 2020