FIA hit Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris with time penalties in miserable Qatar GP
Details of the penalties, writes Lewis Larkam in Qatar
Lewis Hamilton was hit with a double penalty at the F1 Qatar Grand Prix.
First, the seven-time world champion was given a five-second penalty for a false start. He later was forced to serve a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
Hamilton, who was disappointed to qualify nearly half a second behind teammate George Russell in sixth, dropped several places off the line due to the messy start. He fell as low as ninth by the end of the first lap.
Hamilton subsequently fell to 15th and last place.
Lando Norris was then hit with a 10-second stop-go penalty for speeding under yellow flags.
The McLaren driver dropped from second to 15th.
Norris eventually finished 10th, and Hamilton was 12th.
Torrid weekend for Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton has endured a frustrating weekend in Qatar, his penultimate race for Mercedes before making a blockbuster switch to rivals Ferrari next season.
The 39-year-old Briton could only qualify seventh for the sprint and finished the 100km race sixth, before his one-lap struggles continued in regular qualifying.
After worryingly admitting that he is “definitely not fast anymore”, Hamilton rowed back on his comments by insisting he has “still got it” on Saturday.
"Just the car won't go any faster," Hamilton said. "I definitely know I've got it still. It's not a question in my mind."
"I'm slow. I’m half a second off my team-mate in the same car. It wasn't a tricky session. My laps were pretty decent, just half a second off.
"I set my car up a little bit differently today and honestly the car felt great. It is the first time we have made a set-up change and the car felt good.
"My laps are generally really good and I come across the line and that’s half a second down.”
He added: "[I'm] looking forward to the end [of the season]."
Hamilton, the all-time F1 record holder for pole positions with 104, has been defeated 22-6 by Russell over the course of the year in all qualifying sessions (including sprint events).
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