Lewis Hamilton held talks with the FIA in Austin after admitting he made a mistake by walking across the track in Qatar; watch the United States GP weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with qualifying on Friday, the Sprint on Saturday, and the Grand Prix at 8pm on Sunday
Last Updated: 20/10/23 12:26am
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Lewis Hamilton doesn’t think he was singled out after the FIA wanted to discuss his track violation from the Qatar GP
Lewis Hamilton doesn’t think he was singled out after the FIA wanted to discuss his track violation from the Qatar GP
Lewis Hamilton has accused the FIA of “poor communication” following their review into his conduct at the Qatar Grand Prix, but admits he was wrong to walk across a live track.
Hamilton was initially handed a €50,000 (£43,600) fine – half of which is suspended for the rest of the season – for crossing the track while the race was under the Safety Car after crashing out at the first corner in a collision with team-mate George Russell.
The FIA announced on Sunday – a full week after the race – that they were reviewing the Mercedes driver’s conduct “in view of his role model status” amid concerns “about the impression his actions may have created on younger drivers”, with the wording of the statement leaving Hamilton – and many others – slightly bemused.
The seven-time world champion confirmed that he had met with the FIA in Austin ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, and says he is aligned with the sport’s governing body in their attempts to ensure there are no repeats of the Qatar incident.
“I don’t think I was singled out. Ultimately, I think it was just poor communication. I don’t think what they have said is exactly what they meant,” said Hamilton.
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The FIA are ‘revisiting’ this incident where Lewis Hamilton crossed the live track at the Qatar Grand Prix following his crash with George Russell
The FIA are ‘revisiting’ this incident where Lewis Hamilton crossed the live track at the Qatar Grand Prix following his crash with George Russell
“I think what they mean is that they are just going to look into how they can tackle it. Those sorts of things. We’ve been forced to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“If you look at, I think there was a karting incident recently where a kid was hit. So we really need to make sure that we are continuously focusing on safety and I think that’s really at the root of it. But I just think they probably need to speak to their PR agent to do a better job.”
Half of Hamilton’s fine was payable with the other half suspended on the condition that there is no further breach of a similar nature over the rest of 2023. Hamilton also received an official reprimand from stewards, his first of the season.
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Mercedes team-mates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell collide on the opening lap of the Qatar Grand Prix
Mercedes team-mates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell collide on the opening lap of the Qatar Grand Prix
“When I sat in the in the stewards office, I put my hands up. In the heat of the moment, it was the wrong decision,” Hamilton added.
“What’s important is to send the right message particularly for the younger drivers throughout the ranks that that’s the wrong thing to do. I apologised at the time and I think they are just looking how to make sure that doesn’t happen moving forwards.”
Hamilton: Higher F1 driver fines should go to ‘right cause’
Hamilton also reacted to Thursday’s announcement that F1 stewards will be able to fine drivers a maximum one million euros (£871,500) after the sport’s governing body approved an increase from the current limit of €250,000 (£217,900).
The 38-year-old, having found out about the updated rule during his press conference on Thursday, insisted that money generated by higher fines must go to “the right cause”.
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It would appear all is well between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, after the Mercedes pair embraced each following their collision at the Qatar GP
It would appear all is well between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, after the Mercedes pair embraced each following their collision at the Qatar GP
The FIA announced the change to its International Sporting Code (ISC) in a statement after a meeting of its World Motor Sport Council in Geneva on Thursday.
Hamilton said: “I’m not sure what it’s referring to exactly. But I think we need to… when it comes to things like this, we really need to be thinking about the message that sends out to those that are watching.
“If they are going to be fined one million then let’s make sure that that 100 per cent of that goes to the right cause.
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Nico Rosberg says George Russell can’t afford to play the ‘nice guy’ in his rivalry with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton
Nico Rosberg says George Russell can’t afford to play the ‘nice guy’ in his rivalry with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton
“There’s a lot of money in this whole industry and there’s a lot more that we need to do in terms of creating better accessibility, better diversity, more opportunities for people, who don’t normally have a chance to get into a sport like this. So many causes around the world. That’s the only way they will get that million from me.”
Hamilton was sitting alongside Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen in the press conference, with the other drivers also appearing surprised by the rule.
Magnussen said the fine “sounds ridiculous”, Ricciardo thinks it’s “scary” and Leclerc revealed some drivers don’t even earn that amount in a season.
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It would appear all is well between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, after the Mercedes pair embraced each following their collision at the Qatar GP
It would appear all is well between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, after the Mercedes pair embraced each following their collision at the Qatar GP
George Russell feels like the fines are “getting out of control” and “numbers are being plucked out the air”.
“I think it’s pretty ridiculous that a driver could be fined €1m. In my first year of Formula 1, I was on a five-figure salary and actually lost over six figures in that first year from paying for my trainer, paying for flights, paying for an assistant and that’s probably the case for 25 per cent of the grid,” he said.
“We’re doing what we love, so we’re not complaining about that. But if you take a year one driver who probably by the end of the year is losing over €100,000 because of the investments he has to make, you fine them a million. What’s going to happen?”
He added: “We’ve requested before from the FIA to hear where these fines are going toward, what causes they’re going to. It needs to be reinvested into grassroots, but so far we’ve had no response on where that’s going.
“If they truly believe a €1m fine is worthwhile and it’s going to be reinvested into the sport, then maybe one of the drivers who’s being paid a lot is happy to pay that fine. But it seems obscene.”
George Russell thinks the fines in F1 are “getting out of control”
When to watch the US GP and F1 Academy finale live only on Sky Sports F1
Friday October 20
2.15pm: F1 Academy Practice One6pm: US GP Practice One (Session starts 6.30pm)7.55pm: F1 Academy Practice Two9pm: US GP Qualifying build-up10pm: US GP Qualifying (also on Sky Sports Main Event)11.30pm: F1 Academy Qualifying(Saturday) 12.30am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the United States Grand Prix
Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the United States Grand Prix
Saturday October 21
3.30pm: F1 Academy Race One6pm: US GP Sprint Shootout build-up6:30pm: US GP Sprint Shootout9.15pm: F1 Academy Race Two10pm: US GP Sprint build-up11pm: US GP SPRINT (also on Sky Sports Main Event)(Sunday) 12.30am: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
Sunday October 22
3.30pm: F1 Academy Race Three6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: US GP build-up8pm: THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX (also on Sky Sports Main Event)10pm: Chequered Flag: US GP reaction11pm: Ted’s Notebook
Watch Formula 1 return to Texas for the United States Grand Prix and another Sprint weekend live on Sky Sports F1 from October 20-22. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW