Lewis Hamilton will start the Monaco Grand Prix from seventh after receiving a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen during qualifying.

Hamilton was adjudged to have impeded Verstappen in Q1 at Massenet after being provided with incorrect information by his Ferrari race engineer.

The seven-time world champion was told that Verstappen, behind him on the track in the first sector, was on a slow lap and therefore began to accelerate back towards the racing line as the Red Bull approached.

The decision promotes Verstappen to fourth, while Isack Hadjar and Fernando Alonso are the other drivers to gain a position.

The stewards accepted that the radio messages were “the cause of the impeding” but explained in announcing Hamilton’s penalty that the circumstances did not “amount to a mitigating factor”.

Explaining the incident before his penalty had been confirmed, Hamilton told Sky Sports F1: “I think I was doing a good job of staying out of the way of everyone but then the team said Max was on a fast lap so I was to the left, then they said ‘no he’s not on a fast lap’.

“I was just about to get back on power. I accelerated for 10 metres. I was off the line but for sure distracting him.”

Verstappen appeared to be sympathetic towards Hamilton as the pair discussed the incident immediately after the session, but maintained that his once fierce rival should receive a penalty.

He told Sky Sports F1: “At the time, you see the car blocking you and when you are there at high speed, it’s not nice.

“I saw the team told him I was driving slow when I was clearly driving fast, so it’s not Lewis’ fault.

“I quickly chatted to Lewis about it. It’s very simple but it can’t happen. But that’s the team’s mistake.

“If you look at the history of things, yes [it should be a penalty], but it’s more the team’s fault. But normally in qualifying they are quite strict on these things.”

The stewards’ decision in full

The stewards heard from the driver of Car 44 (Lewis Hamilton), the driver of Car 1 (Max Verstappen), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry, team radio and in-car video evidence.

Car 44 was on a slow lap and off the racing line as he was approaching Turn 2. Car 1 was approaching Car 44 on a push lap.

The team first informed the driver of Car 44 that Car 1 was on a fast lap. Then they sent another message saying that Car 1 was ‘slowing down’ when in fact Car 1 was always on a push lap and was not ‘slowing down’ as suggested by the team.

This resulted in Car 44 speeding up and moving into the racing line of Car 1 entering Turn 3. Car 1 had to react to Car 44 appearing to move into the racing line. This meant that Car 1 had to move off the usual racing line and the push lap had to be aborted by Car 1.

We carefully examined the racing line taken by Car 1 in previous laps at the same area and determined that Car 44 did in fact enter the racing line that Car 1 used in previous push laps. This put it beyond doubt that Car 1 was impeded.

The driver of Car 44 expressed his displeasure at the incorrect message from the team immediately after the incident.

During the hearing, the fact of the team’s incorrect message leading to the incident was accepted by the driver of Car 44.

As with previous incidents of this nature where a driver has received inaccurate or incomplete information resulting in a car impeding another, the fact that the radio message was the cause of the impeding does not amount to a mitigating factor. We therefore impose the standard penalty of a drop of three grid positions

Sky Sports F1’s Monaco GP schedule

Sunday May 25
6.55am: F3 Feature Race
8.35am: F2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Monaco GP build-up*
2pm: The MONACO GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Monaco GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
5.30pm: The Indy 500

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

Next up in F1’s European triple-header is the ‘Jewel in the Crown’, the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, with Sunday’s race live at 2pm on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime