SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS (Belgium): Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari team was fined around US$33,500 after the British driver knocked over his own mechanic at Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, reported PA Media/dpa.
Hamilton sent a member of his pit-crew tumbling after he responded to an electronic green signal to leave his pit box.
The mechanic had been making an adjustment to Hamilton’s front wing at the time as he was bundled to the floor.
“Is he OK?” an alarmed Hamilton asked over the radio. Hamilton’s race engineer, Carlos Santi responded: “He’s OK. We are all OK.”
A Ferrari spokesperson later confirmed that the mechanic was “completely unhurt” and he did not require medical assistance.
Nevertheless, Ferrari were summoned to the stewards with Hamilton’s fourth place in danger if he was dealt a second time sanction.
Hamilton, 41, had earlier been penalised five seconds for ending George Russell’s race in a first-lap collision.
Ferrari were slapped with the fine, part of which is suspended for 12 months, but Hamilton avoided a second punishment to leave him 45 points back from Kimi Antonelli in the championship standings.
Following the stewards’ verdict, a statement from the FIA read: “The team committed to undertaking a review of their pit-stop procedures to ensure an incident such as this will not be repeated.
“Far from resulting in a sporting advantage, the incident brought about a sporting disadvantage for Car 44 which was delayed in its pit stop. The incident did not justify a sporting penalty but did justify a significant fine on the competitor.”
Former Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen broke his mechanic’s leg during a horror pit-stop in Bahrain eight years ago.
And Hamilton said: “Oh God, I am just grateful my mechanic didn’t get hurt. I was looking at the lights and I am supposed to go when the car drops to the ground.
“I went and then I saw him to my right and I stopped as soon as I could. All I could think about at the time was the incident with Kimi, and that is what I thought (had happened) initially, but he got up and moved.
“I went when the light was green. An unsafe release is usually when it is unsafe to the other cars and not necessarily the team.”
Hamilton crashed out of final practice on Saturday and then started fifth before damaging his floor after he collided with Russell.
But the seven-time world champion will head to Hungary next weekend hopeful of adding to his record eight wins.
He added: “I need to come correct and deliver the way I know I can deliver in Budapest and fight for that win.”
–BERNAMA-PA MEDIA/dpa
