The stewards have ruled that the AlphaTauri driver failed to satisfactorily move off the dry racing line through Turn 13 during Q2 while preparing for a push-lap.
In doing so, he impeded seven-time world champion Hamilton, who subsequently failed to progress into the top 10 shootout and will start 13th.
Tsunoda, who ran 14th fastest, will therefore drop provisionally behind Nico Hulkenberg, Zhou Guanyu and Alpine driver Esteban Ocon.
The repairs required for Q3 crashers Logan Sargeant and Charles Leclerc may plausibly lead to one or both taking a grid penalty or a pit lane start.
The stewards noted: “Tsunoda was on the dry racing line at the exit of Turn 13 preparing for his fast lap and had not fully come up to speed and therefore impeded Hamilton.
“Tsunoda explained that he had been passed by another car and decided to remain slow in order to regain his gap.
“In the opinion of the stewards, Tsunoda clearly had the ability to stay off the line and therefore this impeding was unnecessary.”
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff reckoned it was “really painful” to see Hamilton fail to make Q3 owing to the “ugly” impeding and called on the FIA to take stricter action more often to act as a deterrent.
Source: Autosport