Already penalized after his clash with George Russell, Lewis Hamilton could receive a new penalty after hitting a Ferrari mechanic during his stop at the Belgian Grand Prix.
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Lewis Hamilton’s day at Spa-Francorchamps could get even more complicated. After receiving a five-second penalty for his contact with George Russell on the first lap of the Belgian Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver is now under threat of a new sanction.
The incident occurred during a pit stop carried out under Virtual Safety Car conditions. Hamilton was taking advantage of this neutralization to fit a new set of tires and serve his penalty given for the clash with his former Mercedes teammate.
But as he was leaving his spot, the seven-time world champion’s Ferrari touched a team member responsible for working on the front wing.
Hamilton worried after the contact
The scene did not go unnoticed. After feeling the impact, Hamilton immediately asked about his mechanic’s condition on the radio.
“Sh**, is he okay? The light has turned green !” the Briton said to his engineer Carlo Santi.
Ferrari quickly reassured him by indicating that the team member was fine and no injuries were reported.
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Despite the absence of physical consequences, the incident could still have sporting repercussions. The stewards quickly noted the event and confirmed that an investigation would be conducted after the race.
Ferrari and Hamilton summoned by the stewards
The issue could be considered an unsafe release, an infraction regularly penalized in Formula 1 when a driver leaves his spot while a danger exists in the pit lane.
Lewis Hamilton as well as Ferrari will therefore have to explain themselves before the race stewards after the race. The meeting is scheduled for 4:45 PM local time to determine if a new penalty should be applied.
This matter arises while Hamilton was already experiencing a turbulent Belgian Grand Prix. After his crash in free practice 3 which forced Ferrari to urgently repair his car before qualifying, the Briton also lost big at the start by being involved in George Russell’s retirement.
A tense end of the weekend for Ferrari
While he hoped to take advantage of the race pace of his SF-26 to aim for a better result, Hamilton now faces a new uncertainty over his final classification.
The Ferrari driver had nevertheless managed to limit the damage after starting from fifth place on the grid. But between his clash with Russell, his five-second penalty, and this incident in the pits, the Briton could lose more ground in the Belgian Grand Prix standings.
The stewards’ decision will therefore be highly anticipated after the finish at Spa.