F1 News
Will penalties follow for Hamilton and Russell? Stewards share decision
- Sandy van Wijngaarden
The Brazilian Grand Prix was one of the most chaotic Grands Prix when have seen in a long time. After the rainy Sunday, seven drivers had to go to the stewards after the race. Here is the stewards' decision on the matter concerning Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
The formation lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix was very chaotic due to Lance Stroll getting stuck in the gravel trap. Subsequently, the start was aborted, but Lando Norris still decided to enter a second formation lap. Several drivers followed the Briton.
After that, drivers had to stay on the grid as the marshals were removing the Aston Martin. The start was then delayed for about 10 minutes. The mechanics of all teams were allowed to enter the track again during that period.
On the grid for the second time in quick succession, the Mercedes team adjusted the tyre pressure on both cars, but that is not allowed. For this reason, Hamilton and Russell had to report to the stewards.
The stewards' verdict
After evaluation, the stewards gave a €10,000 fine to Mercedes because of changing the tyre pressure on both of their cars. The stewards however also underlined that this will not become precedent for any similar breach in the future. The fine is such amount because of the chaos at the start.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sarkozi
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