Lewis Hamilton was dealt the first significant blow of his title bid after he was penalised three grid places for Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix. F1’s complex rule book favoured Hamilton after Kevin Magnussen, the Haas driver who finished fifth, was also penalised five places for a gearbox change. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, 21, secured pole position, with Red Bull star Max Verstappen, also 21, promoted to second. Hamilton should have been on the front row, but for an uncharacteristic mistake in the opening moments of qualifying. But the 21-year-old Englishman will start from the back of the pack, like Hamilton, penalised three places for blocking another driver, this time the Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat.

Source: Irish Examiner June 29, 2019 19:07 UTC