Lewis Hamilton held talks with the FIA in Austin after admitting he made a mistake running 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 on Sunday at 8pm
Last updated: 10/20/23 12:26 PM
Lewis Hamilton has accused the FIA of “poor communication” following their investigation into his conduct at the Qatar Grand Prix, but admits he was wrong to run around a live track.
Hamilton was initially fined €50,000 (half of which was suspended for the rest of the season) for crossing the track while the race was taking place under the Safety Car after crashing at the first corner following a collision with teammate. partner 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 made for younger drivers’. the statement left Hamilton – and many others – somewhat baffled.
The seven-time world champion confirmed 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 efforts to ensure ensure that there are no repeats of the incident in Qatar.
“I don’t think I was singled out. Ultimately, I think it was just bad communication. I don’t think what they said is exactly what they meant,” Hamilton said.
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The FIA is ‘reviewing’ this incident where Lewis Hamilton crossed the live track of the Qatar Grand Prix after his crash with George Russell
‘I think they mean they’re just going to see how they can handle it. Those kind of things. We are forced to ensure that does not happen.
“If you look at it, I think there was a recent karting incident where a child was hit. So we really need to make sure that we’re constantly focusing on safety and I think that’s really at the root of it. But I think just that they should probably speak to their PR agent to do their job better.”
Half of Hamilton’s fine was ordered to be paid, while the other half was suspended, provided there is no further similar infringement for the remainder of 2023. Hamilton also received an official reprimand from the stewards, his first of the season.
“When I was sitting 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, especially to the younger drivers in the ranks, that this is the wrong thing to do. I apologized at the time and I think they are just looking at how they can make it happen that this will not happen again in the future.”
Hamilton: Higher fines for F1 drivers should go to ‘good cause’
Hamilton also responded to Thursday’s announcement that F1 stewards will be able to fine drivers up to one million euros (£871,500) after the sport’s governing body approved an increase to the current limit of €250,000 (£217,900).
The 38-year-old, who took note of the updated rule during his press conference on Thursday, stressed that the money generated by higher fines should go to “the right purpose”.
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It seems all is well between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton after the Mercedes pair hugged following their clash at the Qatar GP
The FIA announced the change to its International Sporting Code (ISC) in a statement on Thursday following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Geneva.
Hamilton said: “I’m not sure what exactly it refers to. But I think we… when it comes to things like this, we really have to think about the message that’s being sent to those who are watching.
‘If they get a fine of one million, let’s make sure that 100 percent of it goes to charity.
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Nico Rosberg says George Russell cannot afford to play the ‘nice guy’ in his rivalry with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton
“There’s a lot of money in this whole sector and there’s a lot more we need to do in terms of creating better accessibility, better diversity and more opportunities for people who wouldn’t normally get the chance to play in a sport like to come. There are so many charities around the world. That’s the only way they can get that million from me.”
Hamilton sat at the press conference next to Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, while the other drivers also seemed surprised by the rule.
Magnussen said the fine “sounds ridiculous”, Ricciardo thinks it is “scary” and Leclerc revealed that some drivers do not even earn that amount in a season.
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It seems all is well between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton after the Mercedes pair hugged following their clash at the Qatar GP
George Russell feels that fines are ‘getting out of hand’ and ‘figures are being plucked out of thin air’.
“I find it quite ridiculous that a driver can be fined one million euros. In my first year in Formula 1 I had a five-figure salary and in that first year I even lost more than six figures paying for my trainer and paying for flights. , paying for an assistant and that’s probably the case for 25 percent of the network,” he said.
“We do what we love, so we don’t complain about that. But if you take one driver for a year who will probably lose more than €100,000 at the end of the year because of the investments he has to make, then that’s fine. them a million. What’s going to happen?”
He added: “We have asked the FIA before to hear where these fines are going, what the causes are. It needs to be reinvested in the basics, but so far we haven’t had an answer about where that’s going. .
“If they really believe that a €1 million fine is worth it and that it will be reinvested in the sport, then maybe one of the drivers who gets paid a lot will be happy to pay that fine. But it seems obscene.”
George Russell thinks F1 fines are “getting out of hand”
When can you watch the US GP and F1 Academy Final live only on Sky Sports F1?
Friday October 20
- 2.15pm: F1 Academy Exercise One
- 6:00 PM: US GP Practice One (session starts 6:30 PM)
- 7.55pm: F1 Academy practice two
- 9 p.m.: Build-up of qualifying for the American GP
- 10 p.m.: Qualifying for the American GP (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
- 11.30pm: F1 Academy qualifying
- (Saturday) 12:30: Ted’s Qualification Notebook
Saturday October 21
- 3.30pm: F1 Academy Race One
- 6 p.m.: build-up of the American GP Sprint Shootout
- 6:30 PM: American GP Sprint Shootout
- 9.15pm: F1 Academy Race Two
- 10 p.m.: build-up of the American GP Sprint
- 11 p.m.: American GP SPRINT (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
- (Sunday) 12:30 PM: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
Sunday October 22
- 3.30pm: F1 Academy Race Three
- 6:30 PM: Grand Prix Sunday: build-up to the American GP
- 8 p.m.: THE GRAND PRIZE OF THE UNITED STATES (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
- 10 p.m.: Checkered flag: response from the American GP
- 11pm: 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 to 22. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW