Verdict in Hamilton post-race investigation announced after infringement during British Grand Prix

The outcome of a post-race investigation into a yellow flag infringement by Lewis Hamilton during the British Grand Prix has been confirmed, with the seven-time World Champion being handed a reprimand by the stewards.

It was an eventful afternoon at Silverstone for Hamilton, who received a five-second time penalty for a false start, which was served during his first pit stop.

He later crossed the line in third place, having lost out on what looked to be a likely P2 when he pitted during a late-race Safety Car, with Mercedes’ George Russell – who had stayed out on track – taking the position.

But there was further trouble to come for Hamilton when news broke that he would have to visit the stewards over a yellow flag infringement – an incident that he commented on after the race while speaking to Sky Sports F1.

“I’m probably going to get a penalty right now as well,” Hamilton said after seeing the stewards. “I went through a yellow flag and I didn’t it. Jumped the start, yellow flag – when it rains, it pours.”

Following the hearing, it was confirmed that Hamilton would receive a reprimand for the infringement, marking his first of the season.

In a document released detailing the verdict, Hamilton was said to have “failed to slow for a single yellow flag at Turn 9 on Lap 38”. It explains that the Briton had entered the relevant sector before any yellow flag or yellow light panel was displayed, and that the yellow indication on the steering wheel display “only appeared once the driver was already on the straight towards Turn 10 and close to the end of the yellow flag zone”.

It continues: “The evidence showed that there was no yellow light panel warning within the driver’s immediate field of vision and that the yellow indication on the steering wheel display remained visible for only a very short period. The stewards were therefore satisfied that the time available for the driver to react to the yellow flag indication was very limited.”

The stewards also took into account that Hamilton had been battling with Max Verstappen immediately prior to entering the sector and was “expecting a counter attack”, meaning that “his attention remained directed to his mirrors for most of the straight towards Turn 10, rather than immediately towards the green light panel at the end of the sector”.

However, the stewards determined that “after the yellow had been displayed on the steering wheel display and the green light panel was illuminated immediately before Turn 10, Hamilton did not make a discernible reduction of speed and therefore did not fully comply with the requirements applicable under a single yellow flag”.

Before that verdict was announced, Hamilton also reflected on his race as a whole. When quizzed on the decision to pit during the Safety Car, the 41-year-old admitted that it was “all a bit of a blur”, adding: “I was in P2 and then we stopped.”

When it was put to him that he was not able to benefit from having fresher tyres than Russell ahead – given that the race ultimately ended under the Safety Car – Hamilton responded: “Yeah, we could have predicted that. We did what we thought was right.”

The Briton went on to praise team mate Charles Leclerc for his victory, before explaining his own struggles that had unfolded as the event progressed.

“Congrats to Charles – Charles did a great job today,” said Hamilton. “All the magic that I had on Friday just disappeared through the weekend.

“I was just lacking front-end and we massively under-egged it with the front wing. That’s my fault and the engineering fault.”