28/07/2023
NEWS STORY
Kevin Magnussen is handed a 3-place grid penalty for Sunday's race after impeding Charles Leclerc in qualifying.
Magnussen left the track at Turn 9 and made contact with the wall. He then rejoined and drove the dry line.
Leclerc, who was on a fast lap, caught Magnussen who did not give way until Turn 16.
The Dane explained to the stewards that he did not feel it was safe to move off onto the wet at speed and give room to Leclerc, particularly in the turns between 11 and 15.
The stewards observed that he did not receive a warning from his team that Leclerc was behind until the Ferrari was right behind him at turn 10. The team also told him to push, as he needed to make it to the line to get another lap in.
Whether it was his failure to slow and yield following his accident, or whether it was the team's failure to give information early enough that he could have pulled off earlier, or whether it was the instruction to push through the lap; in any case the stewards determine that he unnecessarily impeded Leclerc and handed him a 3-place grid penalty.
Elsewhere, Alex Albon received a reprimand for leaving the track and rejoining unsafely at the exit of T8.
The Williams driver left the circuit at Turn 8 at the end of Q1. He then rejoined the circuit on the racing line.
While he was always going to have to rejoin on the line, the stewards felt that he could have done more to ensure that he rejoined safely while another car was approaching.
In the circumstances he was given a reprimand, his first of the season.
Finally it was decided to take no further action against Lewis Hamilton for also allegedly leaving the track and rejoining unsafely in T4.
The Mercedes driver explained that he had been warned of the approach of Bottas and moved out of the way, in this case off track.
Teammate, George Russell explained that he had the same warning but moved out of the way later. He also explained that as he was on the same program as Hamilton he was fully aware of what his teammate was doing and that at no point was the manoeuvre unsafe. The stewards agreed and opted to take no further action.
Check out our Friday gallery from Spa here.