Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has described the penalty that potentially cost Lewis Hamilton second place and Ferrari a one-two finish at the British Grand Prix as 'a bit harsh'. Hamilton was penalised for a false start after replays showed he moved forward slightly in his grid slot before the lights went out. Race control noted the incident and, within seconds of the stewards announcing an investigation, confirmed a five-second time penalty.
Vasseur Questions Decision
The swift decision indicated the stewards considered it an open-and-shut case, but Vasseur, speaking to Express Sport and other media at Silverstone, felt there was nuance. 'From the sensors, we don't see the car moving on the grid. It's true that on the video you see the sticker of the tyres moving a little bit, but it's not me judging if it's a false start or not. I think it's a bit harsh when the sensors are not moving, but, once again, I don't want to comment on the decisions, or I will spend my life [doing that],' Vasseur said.
Stewards' Justification
The stewards, however, insisted that 'any such movement in that interval constitutes a false start'. They deemed it a 'minor movement', which is why a five-second penalty was deemed sufficient, while a more serious jump could have resulted in a harsher punishment.
Hamilton's Explanation
Hamilton explained in the post-race press conference that an involuntary hand movement caused him to lose control of the clutch. 'My hand just moved just like that. Don't really know where it went. I didn't mean to do it. I didn't even tell my hand to do it. But anyway, it happens,' he said.
Impact on Race Outcome
Without the five-second penalty, Hamilton might not have lost track position to George Russell when he pitted late for fresh tyres under the safety car, following Max Verstappen's crash. The race never resumed, so Hamilton never had the chance to reclaim second place on his fresh soft tyres compared to Russell's ageing mediums.
Hamilton Escapes Further Penalty
Hamilton did, at least, escape with only a reprimand from the stewards for failing to slow for a yellow flag earlier in the race. He explained he missed the flag because he was looking in the mirror after overtaking Verstappen, trying to figure out where to place his car to defend the position. The stewards accepted this as a mitigating factor, noting Hamilton had 'very limited' time to react to the yellow flag. However, they concluded he had broken the rules, issuing a reprimand in lieu of a sporting penalty.
