Gasly nears F1 grid penalty after Japan reprimand

Pierre Gasly will sit on the brink of a 10-place grid penalty for the remainder of the Formula 1 season after receiving a second reprimand of the year for blocking Lewis Hamilton during practice for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Hamilton was forced to take evasive action at one of the fastest points of the track when he came across a slow-moving Gasly on the racing line on entry to the final chicane.

Hamilton took to the run-off area after dodging Gasly’s Toro Rosso, with the stewards quickly confirming they would be looking into the incident after the session.

After meeting with both drivers, the stewards confirmed Gasly had been hit with his second driving-related reprimand of the season.

“On approaching Turn 16, car No 10 [Gasly] slowed down significantly on the racing line. Car 44 [Hamilton] was approaching at racing speed on a hot lap and had to take evasive action to avoid car 10,” the stewards’ report reads.

“The driver of car No 10 admitted that he impeded car 44 and acknowledged that he ought to have stayed on the right hand side of the track and had left it too late to move off the racing line.”

Following a first driving-related reprimand for his collision with Esteban Ocon on the opening lap of the French Grand Prix in June, Gasly is now just one reprimand - driving or sporting - away from triggering an automatic 10-place grid penalty.

The slate will be wiped clean following the final race of the year in Abu Dhabi, with reprimands not continuing on the 12-month cycle as Super License penalty points do.