A closing speed of over 150km/h forced Gabriel Bortoleto to veer off the racing line after encountering Lewis Hamilton at the entrance of Turn 9. The incident occurred during the second free practice session at the sweltering Sepang circuit, where Hamilton was navigating the track with a damaged right-hand side mirror. According to the FIA race stewards, the seven-time world champion moved onto the racing line at slow speed without receiving a radio alert from his team, creating a dangerous situation despite Bortoleto maintaining control of his Audi throughout the encounter.
The €10,000 fine serves as a sharp reminder for teams regarding communication protocols, particularly when drivers are operating with compromised equipment. While the stewards acknowledged that warnings are not typically issued when an approaching vehicle is not on a push lap, they determined that Hamilton failed to exercise the additional care required by a driver aware of their impaired visibility.
Elsewhere on the track, Isack Hadjar secured third place in qualifying but faces an eight-place grid penalty due to an engine issue. Despite the setback, Hadjar expressed confidence in his pace, aiming to fight through the field during the upcoming race. Meanwhile, Mercedes continues to push for performance gains, with Toto Wolff confirming that the team has brought a new update package to the Sepang circuit to better handle the track's high-speed corners and demanding, hot conditions. The weekend serves as a critical test for the grid, as drivers balance technical performance with tire management on one of the most complete circuits on the racing calendar.