Why Hamilton British GP podium is at risk

The Hamilton British GP podium at risk story is the biggest talking point from a dramatic Sunday afternoon at Silverstone. Lewis Hamilton finished third at his home race, but stewards have launched a second post-race investigation that could take that result away from him entirely.

Hamilton British GP podium at risk: what happened?

Lewis Hamilton’s British Grand Prix podium is at risk after another stewards’ investigation at Silverstone. He will be investigated after the race for a yellow flag infringement, following a late crash for Max Verstappen which brought out the safety car.

Verstappen, who was running third at the time, spun out on the 48th of 52 laps at Silverstone and could not escape the gravel, bringing out the yellow flag and safety car. That dramatic moment set the stage for the controversy now surrounding Hamilton’s third place.

The race ended under the safety car, with Charles Leclerc winning from George Russell, and Hamilton third. It looked like a dream result for the Ferrari man at his home circuit. But the celebrations may be premature.

A tough race from the very first lap

This was already a difficult afternoon for Hamilton before the post-race investigation. Hamilton was handed a five-second penalty by the stewards for a false start at the British Grand Prix. Like his teammate, he got off to a strong start, with both drivers passing Kimi Antonelli. Shortly afterwards, stewards noted Hamilton after spotting wheel movement at the start.

Hamilton served his five-second time penalty at his pit stop. That is the penalty that had already been dealt with during the race. But now a completely separate, second investigation has been opened into his conduct after Verstappen’s crash.

On lap 23, both Hamilton and Russell pitted, with Hamilton losing position to his former team-mate as he served his penalty. He then fought hard to reclaim third place and, eventually, held on as the safety car froze the order at the end.

Why a yellow flag infringement could end Hamilton’s podium

So why is the Hamilton British GP podium at risk from a yellow flag infringement? When Verstappen crashed on lap 48, yellow flags were waved around the circuit. Drivers must slow down under yellow flags. If Hamilton is found to have failed to slow down sufficiently, he faces a time penalty.

Any potential time penalty could drop Hamilton out of the points, with Oscar Piastri in 11th, finishing 4.0 seconds behind. That makes this investigation incredibly high stakes. Even a small time addition to Hamilton’s race time could cost him not just the podium, but valuable points too.

This is a situation that fans of the Scuderia Ferrari team are watching very closely right now. A lost podium would be a big blow for Ferrari’s constructors’ championship hopes as well.

What happens next for Hamilton and Ferrari?

The stewards are expected to deliver their verdict soon after the race. Hamilton will visit the stewards after the race with a decision expected imminently as to whether he has kept his podium spot.

The Hamilton British GP podium at risk situation is not yet resolved. Ferrari will be making their case to the stewards right now, hoping to convince them that Hamilton respected the yellow flag rules. Under FIA Sporting Regulations, ignoring yellow flag signals is a serious offence, but the penalty is not automatic. The stewards will review the data and make their call.

It is also worth noting that this was not a clean weekend for Hamilton overall. Hamilton’s victory chances took a blow earlier when he was deemed guilty of moving before the start lights went out, copping a five-second time penalty. Two investigations in one race day is a very difficult situation for any driver.

Championship implications of the Silverstone result

The stakes are high beyond just Hamilton’s pride. George Russell recovered from a pit stop on lap 35 due to a slow tyre puncture to finish second, gaining 18 points on his Mercedes teammate and drivers’ championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

With Antonelli’s penalty applied, he dropped to 16th place, allowing team-mate Russell to close the gap in the standings. This was already a major championship shake-up. If Hamilton also loses his points, it makes the day even more significant for the title fight.

The Hamilton British GP podium at risk story is still developing. Keep checking back here at rnt-motorsports.com for the verdict as soon as it lands. You can also read about the other big Silverstone drama in our piece on the Wolff and Vasseur Ferrari cheating row from this weekend.