Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton aided by controversial decision

Lewis Hamilton’s eight-point lead in the Formula 1 driver standings is poised to remain an eight-point lead after an FIA decision made on Monday.

In a Formula 1 championship battle where every point is proving to be critical, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was the big beneficiary of a recent FIA decision.

Following his third place finish in the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring, Hamilton retook the lead of the driver standings over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who had finished in 10th, by six points.

Entering the race, Hamilton had trailed Verstappen by eight points after reducing a 32-point gap in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit.

However, Hamilton’s six-point lead quickly grew to an eight-point lead — after the race concluded.

More from Formula One

• Formula 1: Top Red Bull threat identified for 2024
• Formula 1: Why the Max Verstappen retirement obsession?
• Formula 1: Williams ‘mistake’ hints Logan Sargeant’s future
• Formula 1 awaiting key confirmation for 2024 season
• Formula 1: The ‘championship’ Max Verstappen only leads by 3 points

Runner-up Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin was disqualified, and Hamilton was promoted to second place and thus scored 18 points as opposed to 15. Verstappen was promoted to ninth and thus scored two as opposed to one.

Vettel was disqualified due to technical regulations, as competitors must ensure that a 1.0-liter sample of fuel may be taken from their car at any time during an event. Following the 70-lap race around the 14-turn, 2.722-mile (4.381-kilometer) road course in Mogyoród, Hungary, it was only possible to retrieve a sample of 0.3 liters from Vettel’s Aston Martin.

While a formal appeal is still to be heard by Aston Martin, their request for a right to review the disqualification has been dismissed.

The team had claimed that 1.44 liters remained in the system, albeit unable to be extracted due to a system failure. They claimed they had “a significant and relevant new element” to present, and while the element of the fuel system failing was considered new, it was not deemed relevant considering the fact that there are no exceptions to the 1.0-liter sample requirement.

Read the full stewards’ report about the matter.

While the team are able to move forward with their appeal and push it up to the FIA’s International Court of Appeal, the report effectively renders this a lost cause.

And the big winner? Lewis Hamilton — even if two points doesn’t seem like a big amount.

Not only did he gain more points than anybody via Vettel’s disqualification with three, but any time you can have a net gain of two points in a close championship battle without actually doing or affecting anything on the race track itself, it’s kind of a big deal.

WynnBET now lists Hamilton as the favorite to win the world championship at -130 (bet $130 to win $100) with Verstappen close behind at -110 (bet $110 to win $100).

Download the WynnBET App in New Jersey, Indiana or Colorado and make your pick now!

Formula 1 is scheduled to be back in action on Sunday, August 29 with the Belgian Grand Prix. This race is set to be broadcast live on ESPN from Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET.