Hamilton stripped of Brazil podium after Albon crash

Lewis Hamilton was stripped of his podium finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix after picking up a penalty for causing a collision with Alexander Albon.

Having surprisingly pitted under the safety car with a handful of laps to go after Ferrari duo Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc crashed, Hamilton emerged behind Pierre Gasly and Albon in P2, with Max Verstappen left to complete a dominant win out front.

While Gasly was dispatched at Turn 1, Albon's Red Bull was naturally a trickier proposition and Hamilton's half-hearted lunge up the inside put the Thai driver into a spin, robbing him of a maiden podium.

Gasly came through to take his first F1 podium, holding off Hamilton at the line for P2, but the Briton now drops to P7.

Carlos Sainz will be elevated to third as a result of Hamilton's sanction. However, it arrived an hour after the chequered flag fell, with Hamilton having taken to the rostrum post-race.

The Spaniard was reportedly under investigation himself for using DRS under yellow flags.

If he keeps it, Sainz's podium is McLaren's first since the 2014 Australian Grand Prix, but the lack of opportunity to celebrate it in style may leave a bitter taste.

If Sainz was penalised harshly, Kimi Raikkonen is in line to take the podium spot.

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