Lewis Hamilton has been found guilty of failing to slow for yellow flags during qualifying for the Sprint race at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, but has avoided a grid penalty

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Lewis Hamilton suffered a difficult day in Sao Paulo on Friday(Image: Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton has dodged a grid penalty despite being found guilty of failing to slow for yellow flags during qualifying for the Sprint race at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The incident occurred during the second part of Friday’s session after team-mate Charles Leclerc spun off track.

Onboard cameras from Hamilton’s Ferrari captured him travelling through that section of the Interlagos circuit without any visible signs of reducing speed. Double-waved yellow flags demand drivers reduce speed and be ready to stop, but the seven-time champion didn’t comply as he attempted to reach the start-finish line.

The stewards have confirmed that Hamilton breached the regulations and didn’t slow adequately for those yellow flags. However, rather than a grid penalty, the stewards determined that a reprimand – the 40-year-old’s first of the season – was sufficient punishment.

They said: “Towards the end of Q2, Car 16 [Leclerc] spun at the exit of turn 10, triggering double waved yellow flags. Shortly afterwards, Car 44 [Hamilton] approached the same corner and was just turning in when the double yellow light panels were activated on the left-hand side of the track.

“During the hearing, HAM explained that he did not see the light signal. The onboard footage confirms that the signal was only illuminated for a fraction of a second before HAM passed it.

“As the driver’s focus was clearly on the turn-in-point, he was looking to the right-hand side of the track, thus the Stewards find it credible that he did not actually perceive the signal.

“However, HAM acknowledged during the hearing that he saw LEC stationary at the side of the track and could see a green light signal being displayed beyond that point. He therefore had to realise that he was at least in a yellow sector and as a consequence had to reduce speed discernibly.

“Looking into the telemetry, the stewards found that the driver reacted by hesitating whilst applying the throttle, but did not reduce speed as required.

“In similar circumstances in the past, the stewards have deemed it appropriate to impose a reprimand rather than the standard five-place grid penalty specified in the guidelines. In terms of consistency, the Stewards consider a reprimand to be sufficient in this case as well.”

Hamilton will start Saturday’s Sprint from 11th place – because he failed to make it to the start-finish line, the Brit did not managed to set a time quick enough to progress to SQ3. Lando Norris will start on pole with McLaren team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri third on the grid, while Max Verstappen had to settle for sixth.