Albon disqualified and Hamilton penalized at Zandvoort

The Dutch Grand Prix qualifying resulted in a series of setbacks for Alex Albon and Lewis Hamilton. Williams driver Alex Albon was disqualified from the qualifying results due to a technical infringement, while Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes received a three-place grid penalty for obstructing Sergio Pérez during the session.

Technical Infringement by Williams

Alex Albon had delivered an impressive performance, securing the eighth position during the qualifying at Zandvoort. However, the joy was short-lived. After the post-session technical inspections, the FIA determined that the floor of Albon's Williams did not comply with the regulatory specifications. It was found that the width of the floor exceeded the maximum permitted limit of 1600 mm, leading to his disqualification. Williams argued that their own measurements indicated compliance, but the FIA upheld its decision after conducting its own scan.

This disqualification forces Albon to start the race from the back of the grid, and the drivers who qualified behind him will move up one position on the grid.

Penalty for Hamilton

In a separate incident, Lewis Hamilton received a three-place grid penalty after obstructing Red Bull's Sergio Pérez during qualifying. Pérez encountered Hamilton at Turn 9 while completing a fast lap, and although Hamilton attempted to move aside, the FIA determined that he did not do so with sufficient anticipation. As a result, Hamilton will drop from 12th to 15th on the grid for Sunday's race.

Hamilton expressed his frustration with the issues he faced during the qualifying session, mentioning that the events triggered a series of difficulties that affected the balance and performance of his car.