Lewis Hamilton found himself under FIA investigation following a dramatic qualifying session at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, as stewards reviewed multiple incidents involving several drivers across the grid.
The seven-time world champion secured fifth place for Ferrari during Saturday’s qualifying session, although his hopes of starting even higher on the grid disappeared after a costly slide at Turn 7 forced him to abandon his final flying lap. Shortly after the session ended, Hamilton was summoned by FIA stewards alongside Alpine driver Pierre Gasly over an alleged impeding incident at Turn 8.
The investigation centred on a possible breach of Article B4.1.1 of the sporting regulations, with Gasly believed to have been obstructed while attempting a fast lap. The incident immediately sparked concern that Hamilton could face a grid penalty that would compromise Ferrari’s race plans for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix.
However, after reviewing extensive evidence including telemetry, timing data, team radio communications, positioning systems, video footage and onboard camera recordings, the FIA ultimately decided not to penalise Hamilton. Stewards confirmed that “no further action” would be taken against the Ferrari driver.
According to the FIA’s statement, Hamilton explained during the hearing that he genuinely believed Gasly was not on a push lap at the time of the incident. Ferrari representatives supported Hamilton’s account and informed stewards that the team had also interpreted Gasly’s pace as non-competitive during that phase of qualifying.
The Hamilton-Gasly investigation was only one of several incidents that kept FIA officials occupied after qualifying in Montreal. Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were both summoned over separate unsafe release incidents in the pit lane. Following the investigations, Aston Martin received a double financial penalty totalling €15,000 for the breaches.
Elsewhere, Cadillac driver Sergio Perez was also called before the stewards after an alleged incident involving Alonso under Article 12.2.1.i of the International Sporting Code. Perez avoided a harsher punishment but was issued with an official reprimand by race officials.
Canadian driver Lance Stroll faced further scrutiny later in the evening after being investigated for a separate alleged impeding incident involving Nico Hulkenberg. The repeated steward enquiries added further tension to an already chaotic qualifying day at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Despite the investigations, Hamilton retained his fifth-place starting position and will head into Sunday’s Grand Prix aiming to challenge the frontrunners after Ferrari showed encouraging pace throughout the weekend. With multiple drivers escaping major penalties, the starting grid remained largely intact — setting the stage for what promises to be another unpredictable and highly charged race in Montreal.
