Hamilton demoted to fifth on grid after Red Bull protest

Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton reacts after the qualifying round at the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix on July 4, 2020 in Spielberg, Austria. PHOTO | LEONHARD FOEGER | AFP 

By  AFP

What you need to know:

  • The six-time champion fell from second on the grid, alongside pole-sitting team-mate Valtteri Bottas, to fifth, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen was promoted to the front row.

SPIELBERG

Lewis Hamilton was handed a three-place grid penalty on Sunday less than an hour before the start of the belated season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.

The penalty was announced following a review, requested when Red Bull made a second official protest of the weekend involving the Mercedes team, by the race stewards of a decision taken on Saturday when Hamilton was accused of ignoring yellow flags in qualifying.

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The six-time champion fell from second on the grid, alongside pole-sitting team-mate Valtteri Bottas, to fifth, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen was promoted to the front row.

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