Following a lengthy wait, and just a few hours prior to the scheduled start of Saturday's Sprint Qualifying race in Brazil, the stewards finally issued their penalty verdicts for Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
It leads to a significant change to the starting grid for the 24-lap Sprint, with Hamilton dropping from first place all the way to the back, after his exclusion from qualifying over a Drag Reduction System (DRS) breach.
Verstappen, meanwhile, escaped with a €50,000 fine for breaching the FIA International Sporting Code, having touched Hamilton's rear wing in parc ferme conditions.
In simple terms, everyone behind Hamilton on the original starting grid moves up a position, with Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas forming the front row, followed by Sergio Perez and Pierre Gasly.
Hamilton now faces a challenging recovery drive through the field in Sprint Qualifying, which sets the grid for the main Grand Prix. However, he will also take a five-place grid penalty on Sunday, having moved on to a new Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) this weekend.
Starting Grid: F1 Brazilian GP 2021 Sprint Qualifying
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2. | Bottas | Mercedes |
| 3. | Perez | Red Bull |
| 4. | Gasly | AlphaTauri |
| 5. | Sainz | Ferrari |
| 6. | Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 7. | Norris | McLaren |
| 8. | Ricciardo | McLaren |
| 9. | Alonso | Alpine |
| 10. | Ocon | Alpine |
| 11. | Vettel | Aston Martin |
| 12. | Tsunoda | AlphaTauri |
| 13. | Raikkonen | Alfa Romeo |
| 14. | Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo |
| 15. | Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 16. | Latifi | Williams |
| 17. | Russell | Williams |
| 18. | Schumacher | Haas |
| 19. | Mazepin | Haas |
| 20. | Hamilton* | Mercedes |
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