McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton will be pushed back three grid positions at the Indian Grand Prix after being punished for ignoring yellow flags during yesterday’s first practice session, as Ferrari’s Felipe Massa surprisingly topped the second session.

Stewards penalised former world champion Hamilton for an incident during the morning session. Sauber’s Sergio Perez was given the same penalty.

Massa had been off the pace of the top cars all season, but his time of 1 minute, 25.706 seconds around the Buddh International circuit was just good enough to push world champion Sebastian Vettel in his Red Bull into second, with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso third fastest.

Hamilton’s penalty came after he opened the rear wing on his McLaren – thereby increasing speed – in a zone where double yellow flags were being waved to warn drivers to slow down while marshals were retrieving the stricken Williams of Pastor Maldonado from the verge of the track. Perez made the same transgression a few minutes earlier.

Hamilton had complained earlier in the season about the frequency of his visits to the stewards’ room but said yesterday’s penalty “was justified” and accepted “it is my fault.” On a track with plenty of overtaking opportunities, a three-place grid penalty is not too onerous.

The Briton topped the timesheets in the morning session, but slipped back to fourth in the afternoon, ahead of Red Bull’s Mark Webber and McLaren teammate Jenson Button.

The afternoon session was briefly red flagged after Virgin driver Jerome d’Ambrosio ran wide and made heavy contact with a barrier, while the morning session was red flagged for the more unusual occurrence of a stray dog on the track.

Massa’s strong performance came despite a front wing that was so low and wobbly that it repeatedly touched the track surface, sending up sparks. The Brazilian has not won a race since 2008 when he came so close to winning the championship.

Since then he had come back from life-threatening injuries when his helmet was struck by a flying part off another car during the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix.