Williams’ Carlos Sainz has been given a three-place grid drop for the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix after impeding Lewis Hamilton during qualifying.

The Spaniard got in the way of his Ferrari successor after he finished his final run in Q2, setting a lap time good enough for 12th place.

Hamilton was attempting a final run as Sainz remained on the racing line heading into Turn 1, with the British driver immediately taking to the team radio to voice his frustrations.

Despite being impeded, the seven-time World Champion made his way into Q3 before eventually finishing in eighth place.

Sainz is now set to start the Grand Prix from 15th as the stewards deemed it was a slam dunk penalty for the 30-year-old as he “unnecessarily impeded” Hamilton.

A document released by the FIA stated: “The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 55 (Carlos Sainz), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, team radio and in-car video evidence.

“Car 55 was on an in lap after having completed a push lap when Car 44 was starting its push lap, and Car 44 had to move off track to avoid Car 55 in Turn 1.

“The driver of Car 55 stated that he did not have any warning from the team, of the approach of Car 44 on a push lap.

“He stated that he was caught completely by surprise and because of the approach speed of Car 44, and the angle of his car, he could not see Car 44 in his mirrors.

“However notwithstanding the above, the team had ample warning that Car 44 was on an out lap whilst Car 55 was on its push lap.

“Also, more than 8 seconds elapsed from when it was obvious Car 44 was not going into the pits, and hence was going to start a push lap, and when Car 55 could have taken appropriate action if the driver had been warned by the team.”

Lewis Hamilton concedes Ferrari ‘running higher than we would like’ with SF-25 in Japan

Lewis Hamilton conceded that Ferrari is running its SF-25 challenger “higher than we would like” at the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.

Hamilton has seemingly been unable to escape ride height trouble throughout the ground effect F1 era.

His last three seasons with Mercedes were continually plagued by ride height adjustments as the Brackley-based outfit struggled to nail performance, and last time out in China, he was disqualified for excessive plank wear.

With low ride heights crucial to find performance, the admission could go some way to explaining Hamilton’s below-par finish of eighth in Qualifying at Suzuka.

“Yes, we are running higher than we would like, but I don’t know if everyone is in the same boat in that respect,” Hamilton told Sky Sports.

“Particularly, after the last race, we’re higher than we want to be. It’s usually the knock-on effect from a weekend like we had before.

“For me, we went in different directions with the setup, and for me, I had a lot of understeer and just couldn’t dial it out throughout qualifying.

Speaking to select media, including Motorsport Week, Hamilton talked up the performance of his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, who qualified fourth after a ‘personal breakthrough.’

“Charles did an amazing lap today,” Hamilton said.

“I mean, really, really well done to him. Maybe he outperformed the car.

“From my side, maybe [I didn’t] get everything that was needed from the car.”
Hamilton is praying for rain on Sunday at Suzuka

Hamilton relishing rain to recover from ‘not great’ Suzuka qualifying

In conversation with Sky, Hamilton admitted that “P8 is not great, but I was happy to get into Q3, obviously.

“Really tight battle out there with everyone, I just didn’t get great laps in Q3.”

But there’s hope on the horizon for Hamilton in the form of the famous Suzuka weather, which is poised to be changeable on Sunday.

Rain is forecast for race day in Japan, and Hamilton, who has a history of stunning accomplishments in the wet throughout his career, is relishing a weather-assisted opportunity to make amends for qualifying.

“I’m excited, I genuinely love the rain,” he said.

“It’s going to be tricky, but usually when you have a qualifying like I just had, you hope it’s going to rain. So I hope that it stays.”