- DRS regulation breach means driver starts sprint race at back
- Title hopes shattered as five-place engine penalty will follow
Lewis Hamilton’s Formula One world championship hopes lie in tatters after he was disqualified from qualifying at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The world champion faces a herculean task at Interlagos even to even come close to title rival Max Verstappen, who is in every position to open a lead in Brazil that is all but insurmountable.
F1 has scrupulously followed its own rules but it is impossible to ignore the sense of disappointment and deflation that accompany the likelihood that the most exciting title fight for years has been ultimately decided in the steward’s room rather than on track.