28 July 2023 , 18:26
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Three Formula 1 drivers will start Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix one place higher after Kevin Magnussen was handed a post-qualifying grid penalty.
The Dane qualified 13th on the road during the session. And it meant he out-performed team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, who has been quick over one lap this season but suffered a hydraulics issue.
However, Magnussen will actually start the race 16th on the grid. He was slapped with a three-place grid penalty after the session for impeding Charles Leclerc during qualifying.
The Ferrari driver did not suffer too much. He made it through to Q3 unscathed and inherited pole position from Max Verstappen after the Red Bull racer's five-place penalty was taken into account.
But still the stewards felt the need to punish Magnussen. It means his grid position for the Grand Prix will drop, but will not affect his starting position for Saturday's Sprint race.
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In an official document, the stewards ruled: "Magnussen left the track at turn nine 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.
"Magnussen explained 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 Leclerc 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.
Lewis Hamilton escaped punishment from the F1 stewards (HOCH ZWEI/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)"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."
Benefitting from Magnussen's punishment are the three drivers who qualified directly below him. Valtteri Bottas moves up to 13th on the grid, with Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon also rising a place each respectively.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton was also investigated after the session, accused of rejoining the track in an unsafe manner ahead of team-mate George Russell. However, after holding a hearing, the stewards decided against penalising the seven-time world champion.