Martin Brundle: Lewis Hamilton’s Italian GP penalty was a “slam dunk”

F1 commentator Martin Brundle believes the stewards were right to give Lewis Hamilton a penalty for the Italian Grand Prix.

Hamilton was handed a five-place grid penalty for this weekend at Monza.

The seven-time world champion received a penalty for a yellow flag infringement before the race at Zandvoort.

Hamilton didn’t lift adequately for the flashing yellow flags on his way to the grid at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Even though the incident occurred before the race, the stewards didn’t reach a conclusion until several hours after.

As a result, Hamilton won’t start any higher than sixth for this first Italian GP as a Ferrari driver.

Speaking ahead of FP1, Brundle said it was a “slam dunk penalty”.

The former F1 driver also felt Hamilton was fortunate it wasn’t a 10-place penalty.

“It was a slam dunk penalty,” Brundle said. “[He] broke two regulations, because also the entry speed into the pit lane itself. I do believe that [penalty] should have been applied in the race to give them a chance to cycle that penalty through.

“But two wrongs don’t make a right in that respect. I think the team have to take some responsibility.

“If you read the sporting regs, and the technical regs, and the international sporting code, and then the race director’s notes on any given weekend, as well, you can’t expect the drivers to absorb all of that. We struggle to absorb it.

“You just keep reading, reading [and] reading all of the stuff. But he should have been reminded by the team, if he wasn’t,not to charge through the final corner.

“But I don’t think they can complain about the penalty. In fact, I think they’re lucky it wasn’t a 10-place grid drop.”

Hamilton “shocked” by penalty

Lewis Hamilton addressed the incident in the FIA press conference on Thursday.

He felt it was “pretty hardcore” given that he did lift, and the penalty resulted in a grid drop and points on his licence.

“I did lift. But to their liking not enough. To get the penalty and (licence) penalty points was pretty hardcore,” Hamilton said in the pre-weekend press conference.

“It’s going to be challenging this weekend. Qualifying is already so close between us all. Just getting into Q3 is tough,getting into the top five is very tough.

“And then on top of that, to be set back five places is not great when you’re going into your first Monza GP with Ferrari. But it gives me more to fight for, and I’m very motivated to make up those places regardless.”