F1 stewards issue statement as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton attend penalty hearing

Max Verstappen avoided a penalty after he was summoned to see the Formula 1 stewards after the Hungarian Grand Prix. An incident between the Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton during the race, which saw the Red Bull racer overtake his Ferrari rival, was investigated after the race.

It happened on lap 29 of the Budapest race when Verstappen lunged up the inside of Hamilton at turn four. There did not seem to be any contact made, but the Ferrari was forced to take evasive action and went off track.

Verstappen emerged from that skirmish ahead on track, but the incident was noted by race control. And it was soon confirmed that the matter would be investigated once the Grand Prix had concluded.

Both Verstappen and Hamilton were summoned to the stewards to give their takes on what happened, though the Brit decided he did not wish to attend. Verstappen was the one at risk of a penalty if the stewards decided that he had illegally forced another driver off track in the process of that overtake.

But it has now been confirmed that no action will be taken against him. Explaining that decision, the stewards said: "The driver of Car 1 [Verstappen] stated during the hearing that he had gained some momentum on Car 44 [Hamilton] out of turn three with fresher tyres and used this momentum to make a move on the inside into turn four.

"He further elaborated that he was in full control of his car and could have stayed further to the inside to leave space for Car 44 on the exit. However he said, as Car 44 had gone off track, he elected to use all of the track on the exit.

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"The team representative of Car 44 confirmed that there was no contact between both cars and further stated that the driver of Car 44 chose not to attempt to remain on track. Taking all this into account, the Stewards determine that there was no contact and that the incident does not qualify as forcing another car off track despite the ambitious nature of the overtaking attempt and take no further action."

Verstappen finished the race ninth, scoring just two points for his Red Bull team. Hamilton finished 12th and one lap down to cap a miserable weekend after he declared himself "useless" following a difficult qualifying.

The race was won by Lando Norris who held off team-mate and F1 title rival Oscar Piastri to take his fifth win of the year and third victory in four Grands Prix. The Brit made an alternative strategy work while, in the other McLaren, the Aussie had to back off on the final lap after almost ploughing into Norris when he locked up during his one and only attempted overtake.

That result means Norris is now just nine points behind Piastri in the championship, heading into the summer break. George Russell took third place in his Mercedes, after pole-sitter Charles Leclerc struggled in the latter stages of the race in his Ferrari.