Former F1 presenter Will Buxton has called out David Coulthard\u2019s \u201cbulls**t\u201d claim that Lewis Hamilton\u2019s British GP penalty was harsh after the Ferrari driver received a five-second time penalty for a false start.<\/p>\n
Lining up third on the Silverstone grid behind Kimi Antonelli and his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton made the smallest of movements inside his grid box. But it was enough to trigger a false start investigation.<\/p>\n
Will Buxton rejects David Coulthard\u2019s Lewis Hamilton penalty criticism<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust.<\/p>\n The Ferrari driver was found to have moved on the third of five red lights, and was handed a five-second penalty.<\/p>\n The stewards\u2019 verdict read: \u201cThe Stewards determined that after the third red light was illuminated, and before the start signal was given, Car 44 moved.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was clearly visible on the on-board footage by reference to the yellow Pirelli lettering on the tyre, which rotated upwards and forwards before the lights were extinguished.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that the movement was limited does not negate the infringement. Any such movement in that interval constitutes a false start \/ moving before the start signal.\u201d<\/p>\n As such, Hamilton <\/a>breached Article B5.11.1 of the regulations.<\/p>\n However, former F1 driver Coulthard felt the penalty was harsh as it was the smallest of movements.<\/p>\n Speaking on the Up to Speed podcast, he said: \u201cThere were penalties that I felt were harsh. <\/p>\n \u201cThe Lewis sneeze of his Ferrari. The car definitely jolted.\u201d<\/p>\n Buxton, who joined him for the post-Silverstone edition, disagreed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you were saying this on commentary, I was shouting at the TV,\u201d he said. \u201cI was like, \u2018Come on, DC, that\u2019s bullshit. You know it\u2019s bullshit. You know the rules. You know the rules.’\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut anyway,\u201d Coulthard continued, \u201cI think that he hadn\u2019t gone outside his box.\u201d<\/p>\n Buxton again shot that down.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, but it\u2019s as soon\u2026 Come on, man. As soon as those lights go, if there\u2019s any movement inside the box, it\u2019s a slam dunk. <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, it is a slam dunk.\u201d<\/p>\n Coulthard replied: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t make it right, anyway I felt it was harsh.\u201d<\/p>\n Moving on from whether the penalty was harsh or not, both Buxton and Coulthard were impressed by how Hamilton saved<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing I will say is,\u201d said the former F1 presenter, \u201cwhat about Lewis\u2019s reaction times because anybody else gets that that little leap and then they pull the clutch, right? <\/p>\n \u201cThe start\u2019s done and they\u2019re dropping back. <\/p>\n \u201cFor him to have the awareness, the speed of\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYoung hands,\u201d chipped in Coulthard.<\/p>\n \u201cTo pull that clutch, keep his brain in it, still get the start that he did. I thought that was absolutely phenomenal.<\/p>\n \u201cLewis, to have that little move, save it, and still be able to make the monster start he did \u2013 shapo. <\/p>\n \u201cBut rules is rules, mate, you know that.\u201d<\/p>\n F1 2026: The season\u2019s winners and losers<\/p>\n The results of the F1 2026 championship <\/a><\/p>\n The F1 2026 Drivers\u2019 and Constructors\u2019 Championship standings<\/a><\/p>\n Ferrari, though, isn\u2019t sure it was a penalty as the team\u2019s sensors didn\u2019t note the car moving in the box<\/a>.<\/p>\n Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other media outlets, team principal Fred Vasseur said: \u201cFrom the sensors we don\u2019t see the car moving on the grid but it\u2019s true that on the video you see the sticker on the tyres moving a little bit. It\u2019s not me judging if it\u2019s a false start or not.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s a bit harsh when the sensors are not moving.\u201d<\/p>\n Hamilton, who had been running second in a Ferrari 1-2 late in the Grand Prix, dropped from P2 to P3 when he was called in for a late pit stop after Max Verstappen brought out the Safety Car for spinning into the gravel at Stowe on Lap 48.<\/p>\n The race was not resumed, with Hamilton third in the classification behind Leclerc and George Russell.<\/p>\n Hamilton sits third in the standings on 147 points, 32 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n