Formula 1 stewards considered upgrading Lewis Hamilton's punishment after he impeded Gabriel Bortoleto during Friday practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, but ultimately issued only a warning.
Hamilton was travelling at between 80 and 85kph when Bortoleto approached his Ferrari on the run to turn nine at the Sepang circuit. The Brazilian was not on a push lap but was moving at around 240kph, creating a 155-160kph speed differential between the two cars.
Stewards weigh dangerous impeding
The incident occurred when Hamilton moved towards the racing line as Bortoleto approached, forcing the Audi driver to take evasive action. The significant speed difference prompted the stewards to consider whether a higher sanction than usual was warranted.
According to FIA penalty guidelines for stewards, the standard punishment for impeding another driver in free practice is a warning. However, a five-place grid penalty can be given if a driver is deemed to have impeded a rival "dangerously or with apparent intent."
The stewards said they considered whether Hamilton was guilty of dangerous impeding, citing the high closing speed and their belief that Hamilton should have taken extra care before moving onto the racing line because one of the mirrors on his Ferrari was damaged.
Mitigating factors and Ferrari fine
The damaged mirror also served as a mitigating factor, along with the facts that Bortoleto was not on a full push lap and remained in full control of his Audi despite taking evasive action. After weighing these factors against the aggravating details, the stewards decided against a sporting punishment beyond an official warning.
Ferrari, however, were fined €10,000 (£8,500) for their part in the incident. During the hearing, the Scuderia admitted they did not warn Hamilton over the radio that a faster car was approaching, arguing this usually only happens when the approaching car is on a push lap. An Audi team representative agreed, but the stewards felt Ferrari should have warned Hamilton anyway given the damage to his mirror, concluding they were partially responsible for the impeding incident.
