Lewis Hamilton will retain his fourth-place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix after the stewards decided not to impose a sporting penalty following Ferrari's unsafe release during the race. The incident occurred when Hamilton was released from a pit stop and struck one of his mechanics, sparking immediate concern for the mechanic's safety. Fortunately, the mechanic was unharmed, but the team was placed under investigation for the unsafe release.
Stewards Investigate Incident After Race
The stewards confirmed they would investigate the incident after the session to hear from Hamilton and a Ferrari team representative about the circumstances before making a decision. According to the FIA's penalty guidelines, an unsafe release during a race typically warrants a sporting penalty. However, the stewards completely absolved Hamilton of any blame.
Ferrari Fined £25,500
Instead of penalizing Hamilton, the stewards fined Ferrari £25,500, with a third of that amount suspended for the next 12 months. The fine was issued for the unsafe release, which saw Hamilton hit a mechanic after being shown the green light to accelerate. The decision means Hamilton keeps his fourth-place result from the race.
