Original Fine for F1 Driver May Be Insufficient as FIA Revisits Qatar Incident
Formula One’s governing body is reviewing the adequacy of Lewis Hamilton’s penalty for crossing a live track without permission during the Qatar Grand Prix, as concerns mount that the initial penalty was not stringent enough.
The seven-time F1 world champion collided with his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, at the first corner in Lusail, leaving his car in the gravel and crossing the track to return to the pit lane.
Hamilton received a reprimand and a €50,000 (£43,350) fine, with €25,000 (£21,680) suspended for the rest of the season on the condition that he does not repeat the offense.
The FIA announced on Sunday that it is “revisiting” the incident. They stated, “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.”
The stewards’ report at the time mentioned that Hamilton reached the inside edge of the track just seconds before Russell, who was exiting the pits, arrived at high speed.
“During the hearing the driver of Car 44 [Hamilton] was very apologetic and realized that the situation could have been very dangerous for him as well as the drivers approaching,” they added.
The governing body is likely to establish clearer guidelines and stricter penalties for similar breaches in the future.
This reconsideration follows an incident at the karting world championships in Italy the previous weekend, where British driver Joe Turney suffered leg injuries after pushing his kart back onto the track and being struck by a rival.
Crossing a live track while cars are racing at speed is highly dangerous, and the FIA is taking steps to address the issue to ensure driver safety.
