A traffic jam on the first lap at Turn 1 after a rain start eliminated four cars on the spot and resulted in the Hungarian GP being interrupted on Sunday.
When the race resumed after being suspended to clean up the debris scattered around the track, conditions had improved significantly, with everyone except Hamilton entering the pits to switch to slicks at the end of the warm-up lap.
Hamilton was the only driver to stay on the intermediate tires, leading to a bizarre situation where the seven-time world champion was the only car to be on the grid when the lights went off.
One car on the grid, 14 in the pit lane …
This could be the strangest start from the grid we’ve ever seen #HungarianGP # F1 pic.twitter.com/tRM5h0gOcr
– Formula 1 (@ F1) August 1st, 2021
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The Mercedes driver briefly led the restart until, at the end of the first lap, he pitted himself for the slicks and had him dropped off in the rear field.
After the race, FIA Race Director Michael Masi confirmed that F1 would have carried out its “lights-out” procedure even without cars on the grid.
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“It would have been the starting procedure to activate the start lights normally as soon as the last car was in the pit lane, the start lights would have been activated, five red lights, red lights go out when the red lights go out, the pit exit would be open,” Masi explained.
“Independent [of the number of cars]. Because up to that point the restart of the race has not effectively started again, and at that point everything is to be judged.
“I’ve never had one like this! It was a little different. “
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