Lewis Hamilton was issued a warning after blocking Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto during Bahrain Grand Prix practice at Sepang.
Unexpected Impeding at Turn 9
In the middle of the second free‑practice session, Hamilton’s car crossed onto Bortoleto’s racing line at the approach to Turn 9, forcing the Brazilian to divert. The move occurred at a closing speed of more than 150 km/h after Hamilton’s right‑hand side mirror had been damaged during an earlier lap.
The incident forced Bortoleto to abandon a clean run, which could have compromised his time and lap data for the session. Both drivers remained in full control, and the Brazilian avoided contact, yet the speed differential alarmed officials.
Stewards’ Verdict and Ferrari’s Fine
Race stewards concluded that Hamilton “unnecessarily impeded” the faster car by moving onto the racing line at a slow speed. They cited the damaged mirror and the absence of a preceding radio warning from Mercedes‑am as mitigating factors, but the high closing speed remained “dangerous impeding.”
Later, the team was penalised €10 000 for failing to notify the driver that Bortoleto was on a push lap. The stewards emphasised that “the responsibility lies with the team to manage traffic when a vehicle has a known defect.” Mercedes‑am denied an audible warning had been transmitted before the incident.
Competitive Snapshot from FP3
On Friday, Hamilton topped the final free‑practice session in fifth place, with teammate Charles Leclerc setting the fastest time overall. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar and McLaren’s Lando Norris finished behind them, highlighting the gap between the two front‑row favourites.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur remarked that “nothing really matters on Friday, but being fastest is not a bad thing.” He noted that tomorrow’s race would demand sharp adaptation to track evolution and tyre degradation, all of which will strongly shape race‑day performance.
Looking Ahead
The driver’s brief warning and the team’s fine serve as a reminder of how even a small error in practice can stir stewards’ scrutiny. With the Bahrain circuit’s high-speed sections and significant temperature changes, both Hamilton and Ferrari will need to balance speed with caution to keep the latest incidents from repeating.
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