Formula 1 Austrian GP: Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz among 8 racers hit with penalties as Top 10 sees reshuffle

Austrian GP: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz are among the eight drivers hit with penalties at the Austrian GP for track limit infringements. In multiple incidents of violating track limitations, several drivers are handed time penalties, forcing a big change in the top 10 of the standings at the Red Bull Ring. While there are no changes in the podium standings, there is a big reshuffle outside the top three.

The drivers were hit with penalties after upholding Aston Martin's protest over the provisional classification of the race. Several drivers were given penalties for track limit violations. After the standings were confirmed the drivers to suffer penalties are - Sainz, Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon, Logan Sargeant, Nyck de Vries, and Yuki Tsunoda.

It brings changes to the top 10. Sainz drops two places from P4, Hamilton sees one spot decline to P8, Gasly goes a place down on 10, while Ocon goes from P12 to P14. Albon and Sargeant keep their places on P11 and P13, respectively. De Vries sees a two-spot fall to P17 with Tsunoda going from P18 to P19.

As per the Formula 1 website, the penalties were given on some parameters. "For four infringements, a five-second time penalty; for five infringements, a 10-second time penalty. Then a “reset” has been allowed due to the excessive number of infringements. The counting of infringements restarts. After another four infringements, a five-second time penalty will apply; after five, a 10-second time penalty," F1 wrote citing Stewards.

The new standings are as under:

1. Max Verstappen

2. Charles Leclerc

3. Sergio Perez

4. Lando Norris (up from P5)

5. Fernando Alonso (up from P6)

6. Carlos Sainz (demoted from P4)

7. George Russell (up from P8)

8. Lewis Hamilton (demoted from P7)

9. Lance Stroll (up from P10)

10. Pierre Gasly (demoted from P9)

11. Alex Albon (penalty, but no movement in position)