Gasly reprimanded for impeding Hamilton in FP1

Lewis Hamilton had his heart in his mouth during the opening Japanese practice session on Friday after encountering a slow-moving Pierre Gasly on the flat-out run to the chicane...

The pair narrowly avoided a high-speed collision after Hamilton took evasive action - but that didn't stop the Toro Rosso driver being handed a reprimanded by the stewards for impeding his Mercedes counterpart.

Hamilton ultimately topped the timesheet in FP1, with Gasly in 11th, but following the session both drivers weres summoned before the stewards.

After discussing the near-miss with both racers, the stewards at Suzuka ruled that Gasly was ‘driving unnecessarily slowly and impeding car 44 in turn 16’, with the Frenchman handed his second reprimand of the season.