Lewis Hamilton commits to Mercedes until 2025
The FIA have confirmed that they are reopening their investigation into a dangerous manoeuvre performed by Lewis Hamilton at the Qatar Grand Prix. Hamilton crossed the track while under the safety car at the Losail International Circuit following his crash with George Russell.
The Mercedes star received a £43,354 fine – half of which is suspended for the rest of the season. But he may face further sanctions for the incident with the FIA seemingly keen to make an example of him due to concerns that it may set a precedent for young drivers.
An FIA spokesperson said: “The FIA is revisiting the incident in which Lewis Hamilton crossed a live track during the Qatar Grand Prix. The FIA notes that Lewis was apologetic during the subsequent Stewards’ hearing into the incident and acknowledged that the crossing was a serious safety breach.
“However, in view of his role model status, the FIA is concerned about the impression his actions may have created on younger drivers.”
Click here to join our WhatsApp community to be the first to receive breaking and exclusive F1 news
Hamilton received an official reprimand after the race. A statement form the stewards read: “After crashing out of the race in Lap 1, the driver of Car 44 abandoned his car in the gravel and ran back to the pits. He thereby crossed the track that was live at this time and reached the inside edge of the track just seconds before Car 63 [Russell] arrived at high speed after exiting the pits.
“He then continued to walk alongside the track until finally exiting the track. During the hearing the driver of Car 44 was very apologetic and realised that the situation could have been very dangerous for him as well as the drivers approaching.
Don’t miss…
Max Verstappen makes Michael Schumacher request after winning third world title[LATEST]
Tsunoda ‘asked to leave track because of noise’ and unearthed G&T on private jet[LATEST]
Lewis Hamilton’s potential heir Kimi Antonelli shares Max Verstappen trait[LATEST]
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
“The Stewards reinforced the fact that crossing a live track can cause extremely dangerous situations and the drivers have to be very cautious about it.
“In addition to imposing a significant fine (which is suspended in parts), the Stewards also reprimand the driver bearing in mind that receiving a certain number of reprimands during a season will draw a significant driving penalty in accordance with Article 18.2 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.”
Full access to all live timing features. F1 history on-demand.Exclusive documentaries.650+ historic races from the F1 archives.
This box contains affiliate links, we may receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more.
Source: Read Full Article