World of sport
Leclerc lands pole and Lewis takes a hit
Lewis Hamilton was yesterday dealt the first significant blow of his title romp, after he was penalised three grid places for today’s Austrian Grand Prix.
The world champion will line up from fifth in Sunday’s race at the Red Bull Ring, punished for blocking Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen in qualifying.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, 21, secured pole position, with Red Bull star Max Verstappen, also 21, promoted to second. The duo will form the youngest front row in the sport’s history.
For Sebastian Vettel, his torrid time of late has extended into another weekend. An engine problem prevented him from starting a lap in the shoot-out for pole, and the German, already 76 points behind Hamilton in the championship standings, will start a lowly ninth.
Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas was promoted to third, while British teenager Lando Norris, just 19, will also take advantage of Hamilton’s penalty to line up a career-best fourth.
Hamilton should have been on the front row at the Red Bull Ring, but for an uncharacteristic mistake in the opening moments of qualifying.
He had just left the pits when Raikkonen, who was on a quick lap, came across the Briton’s slow Mercedes at the top of the hill on the approach to Turn 3.
Hamilton saw Raikkonen at the last minute, but in attempting to get out of the fastapproaching Finn’s way, instead crossed his path and thwarted his lap.
“Hamilton completely blocked me,” said an angry Raikkonen on the team radio after giving Hamilton the middle finger.
Hamilton was hauled in front of the stewards. After hearing from the world champion, and reviewing video evidence, they deemed he “unnecessarily impeded” Raikkonen, throwing him down the grid.
“I totally deserved the penalty and have no problem accepting it,” said Hamilton. “It was a mistake on my behalf, and I take full responsibility. It wasn’t intentional.”
Rising McLaren star Norris will have a 34-year-old five-time world champion breathing down his neck on the 300-metre charge to the opening corner. But an unfazed Norris said: “It won’t be any different starting ahead of Lewis. He is just another guy I have to beat.”