FIA Investigates Max Verstappen's Overtake on Lewis Hamilton Under Yellow Flags
Max Verstappen faces an FIA investigation for allegedly overtaking Lewis Hamilton under yellow flags during sprint qualifying in Singapore. The incident added to the drama of a session already disrupted by a crash involving Sergio Perez.
Max Verstappen finds himself in the spotlight at the Singapore Grand Prix, but not entirely for the reasons he'd prefer. The FIA stewards have launched an investigation into whether Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton under yellow flags during the sprint qualifying session. The incident unfolded shortly before a red flag was waved due to Cadillac driver Sergio Perez's crash.
In a session where Verstappen qualified first and Hamilton sixth, things were already tense. Perez's early crash at Turn 5 led to a yellow flag, as debris from his wounded Cadillac littered the track. As Perez limped back to the pits, Verstappen overtook Hamilton at Turn 8, prompting the Ferrari driver to radio in: "Max overtook me under yellow flag."
Verstappen, meanwhile, communicated to Red Bull: "It was a bit tricky to judge the yellow. I think I passed him before the yellow, but I just want to be safe." Despite the ambiguity, the session was soon halted to clear the debris, and the stewards noted the incident before deciding to investigate.
The stewards have summoned Hamilton, Verstappen, and representatives from Ferrari and Red Bull for a meeting at 22:15 local time in Singapore. This isn't the only tangle between the two drivers; in SQ2, Verstappen found himself behind a slow-moving Hamilton on the Anderson Bridge, leading him to remark over team radio: "That Ferrari was in my way."
Adding to the backdrop, Verstappen arrives in Singapore fresh from his first win of the F1 2026 season at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, marking the inaugural victory for the Red Bull Powertrains-Ford engine. Hamilton also had a notable weekend, returning to the podium for the first time since Silverstone, finishing third after navigating a Ferrari strategy mishap.
As the Singapore weekend looms, Hamilton stands third in the drivers' standings, 22 points behind second-placed Mercedes. Verstappen's recent win puts him level on points with McLaren's Lando Norris, while Charles Leclerc of Ferrari edges slightly ahead in fourth.