Aug.27 – The Williams driver Pastor Maldonado has handed a five-place grid penalty for his theatrical event with Lewis Hamilton in Belgium Q2. Maldonado appeared to strike back following touching wheels with his competitor in the last period of Q2, resulting in the stewards’ judgment that does not involve Hamilton’s starting grid. Hamilton and Maldonado had clashed one time at the Bus Stop chicane as Hamilton quick to complete a flying lap, and Maldonado then appeared to jink towards the McLaren on their following laps as they came out of La Source, with light contact made between them. Maldonado was adjudged to have been more at fault in the incident and will be moved back from 16th to 21st on the grid.
The British speedy Hamilton told his team it was “done deliberately”, however, Maldonado insists that wasn’t the case. It was a difficult moment, there was no reason from my side to have contact and from the side of Lewis,” he told the BBC.
“It wasn’t rainy conditions and we need to understand what happened. There was no need for contact after the chequered flag.”
Pressed as to whether his coming together with Hamilton was deliberate, he said: “No, no, I don’t.”
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