Why Hamilton is set to start ahead of Verstappen despite a larger Brazil GP penalty

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Archive photograph: Lewis Hamilton · 2025-06-04Archive photo · 2025-06-04 · Picture by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street · OGL 3

Hamilton received a 75-place grid penalty, compared with Verstappen’s 30. His 11th-place qualifying result puts him ahead of Verstappen, who qualified 16th.

From the GPBeat newsroomPublished · 08 Nov 2026, 08:46 · 1 min

Lewis Hamilton is set to start ahead of Max Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix despite the larger grid penalty: 75 places, compared with Verstappen’s 30. Drivers with penalties exceeding 15 places are placed at the back of the grid, with the better qualifier taking the higher position; the number of penalty places above 15 makes no difference.

Hamilton qualified 11th; Verstappen was 16th after choosing to skip Q2 to save rain tyres for the race.

Sergio Pérez is last on the grid despite his 30-place penalty: he qualified 21st.

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