Hamilton given five-place grid drop for Italian GP

Lewis Hamiltons crash at Zandvoort was his first retirement as a Ferrari driver

Lewis Hamilton has been handed a five-place grid penalty for Ferraris home race in Italy next weekend, after failing to slow under double yellow flags before the start of the Dutch Grand Prix.

It capped a miserable weekend overall for the Italian team, who watched both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc crash out of the race in separate incidents.

Hamilton did not follow the race directors pre-race instructions given to all drivers, asking them to reduce their speed sufficiently at the pit entry to ensure the safety of people on the grid and in the pit lane.

The penalty would normally have been a 10-place grid drop, but the stewards acknowledged Hamilton did try to slow down and brake earlier.

It means the Briton will start no higher than sixth at his maiden race at Monza as a Ferrari driver.

Lewis Hamilton crashed out of the Dutch Grand Prix on lap 23

Following Ferrari’s difficult time in Zandvoort, team principal Fred Vasseur said they have to "stay calm" for the remainder of the season.

Both Hamilton and Leclerc came away from round 14 with zero points, and while the Scuderia are still second in the constructors championship, Mercedes in third have narrowed the gap to just 12 points thanks to George Russell’s fourth-placed finish.

Hamilton was first to retire from the race, crashing into the wall from seventh position following a moment of oversteer at Turn Three when light rain was falling on the track. He told BBC Radio 5 Live he was "not really sure" what happened but "I couldnt recover it".

Meanwhile, Leclerc was the innocent party as the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli made a move on the opposite side of the same corner and took the Monegasque out.

Leclerc, who was left stranded on a hill until the race had finished, said the Italian rookie did apologise for his mistake, but he told Sky Sports: "It ruined my race, it is a shame but it is the way it is."

Charles Leclerc had plenty of time to contemplate his retirement from the Dutch Grand Prix

Seven-time world champion Hamilton has found his maiden season with Ferrari a frustrating experience. His sprint win from pole position in China has been the only major high point since his blockbuster move from rivals Mercedes.

Before the summer break, he qualified and finished 12th at the Hungarian Grand Prix, calling himself "useless" after failing to make Q3. In Belgium the race before, he was a shock elimination in the first part of qualifying, conceding the result was "incredible painful".

Before the grid penalty for Monza was issued, Vasseur said Hamilton’s latest setback in the Netherlands had not knocked the 40-year-olds confidence in the car, or himself.

"Overall, the reaction from Lewis was good; it was a good recovery after two tough races before the break. But for sure, this was not what we expected," Vasseur said of the double retirement.

“This has been a lot more positive than the last four or five races. It was much better than what he did in the last race in Budapest. I could see the confidence was back and it was good preparation [for Monza].”

Hamilton, who is sixth in the drivers’ championship, echoed Vasseur’s assessment that there are good aspects of the weekend the team can build on.

"It was a bit twitchy, the car, but I think we made real progress and my pace was looking pretty decent," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Despite a bruising day all round, Vasseur said the mood was not sombre. "We can take a lot of positives from the weekend," he said.

Charles Leclerc won the Italian Grand Prix for Ferrari last year

Leclerc won the Italian Grand Prix last year, finishing ahead of the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, and is hopeful of another good result next weekend.

"Im looking forward to [Monza]," he said.

"It will be a very busy week but there will be a lot of positive energy. There is always a lot of support, so Im looking forward to that.

"I think with this track [Zandvoort], it has everything that our car hates, but I think Monza will be more positive; whether its a track where we can target a podium, the McLarens are going to be incredible there, but never say never."