Ferrari fined after pit lane incident
Ferrari has been fined €30,000, with €10,000 suspended for a year, after an unsafe release during the Belgian Grand Prix saw Lewis Hamilton’s car strike a mechanic in the pit lane. The mechanic, who was attempting a front-wing adjustment when the green light signal was given, was knocked to his knees but escaped without injury. Hamilton stopped immediately as the crew member was helped up before leaving the pit box, and stewards later determined the driver bore no fault for the incident, noting he had suffered a sporting disadvantage due to the delay.
Hamilton reflects on chaotic sequence
Hamilton admitted his heart sank when the contact occurred, his mind immediately flashing back to the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix where a botched Ferrari stop for Kimi Raikkonen left mechanic Francesco Cigarini with a double leg fracture. The seven-time champion was relieved to learn over team radio that the mechanic involved on Sunday was unhurt, telling Sky Sports F1 that the green light had prompted his departure while his attention was focused on the pit lane signals rather than the crew member positioned near the wheel.
The pit stop had already been complicated by a five-second penalty Hamilton served for a first-lap collision with George Russell at Les Combes, an incident that spun the Mercedes driver out of the race. Hamilton declined to dwell on the specifics of that clash, instead accepting full responsibility for a fourth-place finish he traced back to a crash in Saturday’s final practice session that damaged his car and led to a suspension issue after the rebuild, costing him crucial pace in qualifying.
The result nevertheless moved Hamilton back into second place in the Drivers’ Championship, 45 points behind race winner Kimi Antonelli, with Formula 1 heading straight to Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix this Friday.