Lewis Hamilton slammed by Sky F1 pundit after disobeying Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton driving his damaged Ferrari in Madrid
Sky F1 pundits clashed after Lewis Hamilton hit the wall at the Spanish Grand Prix, before driving on against multiple Ferrari instructions.
Hamilton’s Ferrari was damaged in a crash during FP3. It took an FIA race director order to stop him, as race engineer Carlo Santi pleaded with the seven-time world champion. Ted Kravitz called it a “smart” move from Hamilton, while Anthony Davidson totally disagreed, urging all young drivers never to follow Hamilton’s example.
Lewis Hamilton Spanish GP crash causes Sky F1 debate
Hamilton found the wall at the final Madring corner, triggering a red flag to neutralise the FP3 session. He reversed his Ferrari out, and drove on, but with the front wing lodged underneath the SF-26 and a damaged front-right tyre.
Hamilton was told four times in total by his race engineer Carlo Santi to stop the car. Only when he was told that it was a “formal request” from the FIA race director, did Hamilton park his Ferrari at the side of the track.
“Lewis knows the importance to the rest of his weekend of having the qualifying preparation and practice. Lewis desperately wants to get it back,” said Sky F1’s pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz in reaction to Hamilton’s actions.
Sky F1 lead commentator David Croft countered: “That’s all well and good Ted, that’s all well and good, and I know he’s done 393 previous Grands Prix, but you know the rules are: you don’t drive the car in an unsafe condition.
“The team are telling you to stop. The driver’s twice now on the radio gone against that, and he finally does stop the car. I get the feeling race control are going to take a very serious view of that, because the team told him to stop.”
Kravitz responded: “It’s disappointing. I wanted him to come back in.
“I know what you’re saying about the rules, but that was smart thinking by Hamilton. We’ll see what kind of penalty he gets.”
At that point, Anthony Davidson, the former F1 driver turned Sky F1 commentator, entered the discussion.
“No, no, no. I completely disagree Ted,” Davidson stressed.
Davidson took a very dim view of Hamilton’s actions, airing significant safety concerns.
“Any young driver that’s watching this right now, don’t do that. You just don’t do that,” Davidson continued.
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“That’s what you could have tried to do, but the rule is there for a reason.
“If it went under the car completely and jacked your front wheels up, and there were marshals on the track – because it’s a red flag, you’ve got to think of all these scenarios – and you can’t steer the car, and you run someone over because of it… It doesn’t matter if you’re a seven-time world champion or not. You can’t turn the car when your front wheels are lifted off the ground.
“So, the rule is there for a reason. That’s my opinion. I’ve spoken to enough race directors and safety comes first. It has to when you’re in a scenario like that.”
The FIA stewards did not take any action against Hamilton over that FP3 incident.
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