Hulkenberg hit with a grid-drop penalty, Verstappen and Russell move up the grid

Having delivered an eye-catching performance in the qualifying session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg has been hit with a three-place grid drop penalty for failing to follow the race director’s instructions by overtaking two cars on the pit exit road.

Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen have shown eye-catching pace during the three practice sessions on a weekend when the American team still has a slim chance to turn over the situation in the constructors’ championship to take sixth place away from Alpine.

While the Dane driver failed to make it out of Q1, the German racer grabbed a sensational fourth in his last event for Haas before he joins Sauber in 2025.

However, the stewards have now confirmed that Hulkenberg has been hit with a three-place grid penalty for failing to follow the race director’s instructions by overtaking two cars on the pit exit road.

It means that the one-time pole-sitter will be demoted to P7 on the grid while four-time world champion Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly and George Russell will move up the grid on Sunday.

In a document published by the FIA, the stewards explained: “The driver did not dispute during the hearing that he did not follow the Race Director’s instructions, but stated that he had no other option but to breach the rules in order to get a lap in.

“Whilst the Stewards acknowledge that the position of the team’s garages limits their options to send the cars out on track, this can never be used as an excuse to breach any regulations.

“The prohibition of overtaking in certain areas as the pit lane or, in this case, the pit exit, is implemented to prevent potentially dangerous situations and therefore the Stewards determine that a grid drop is warranted in this case.”