Antonelli risks grid drop as stewards launch Hungarian GP qualifying investigation
The championship leader faces a trip to the stewards for improving under yellow flags at the end of Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli is set to be investigated by the FIA stewards for a suspected yellow flag rule infringement in qualifying for the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Antonelli took fourth on the grid at the Hungaroring as Mercedes was beaten by both McLaren's polesitter Lando Norris and the two Ferraris.
But the championship leader is at risk of starting further down after being summoned to the stewards' office for allegedly infringing F1's yellow flag rules.
On his final qualifying run, Antonelli caught yellow flags in the final corner - where Red Bull's Max Verstappen was stationary in the runoff area after a spin.
Antonelli did improve his final sector time to take fourth, though, with the stewards now investigating if the Italian had lifted enough to respect the yellow flags.
Antonelli had complained over a lack of grip as both he and team-mate George Russell were unable to keep Mercedes' 2026 pole streak intact, the Silver Arrows suffering their first grand prix qualifying defeat of the year.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Russell could only manage seventh on the grid and then ground to a halt on the in-lap with a water leak.
Elsewhere, Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton faces a likely grip drop for impeding McLaren's Oscar Piastri in Turn 1. Hamilton had qualified second, just 0.012s behind polesitter Norris, and ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc.
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