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Why the FIA needed Red Bull's protest to give Hamilton grid penalty
- GPblog.com
Lewis Hamilton was acquitted Saturday in the investigation that the race management did after his rounds in Q3. Red Bull Racing then decided to go into protest on Sunday and the Austrian stable did so successfully. Hamilton will receive three places grid penalty, but why is there now suddenly a penalty handed out?
"Following a petition to review decision 33 taken after Qualifying, the Stewards acknowledged that the on-board footage of car 44 represents a significant new
element (see decision 41) that had not been available to the Stewards in the hearing on Saturday and therefore reviewed the case," the FIA writes in a statement half an hour before the start of the Austrian Grand Prix.
New evidence examined by FIA
"The new video footage clearly shows that a yellow light panel was flashing on the left side of the track in turn 5. A green light panel was flashing at the end of marshalling sector 9. Taking into account these facts, the Stewards determine that decision 33 will be reversed and the above mentioned penalty is being imposed." Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Alexander Albon take advantage of this.