FIA confirms Lewis Hamilton decision after British GP investigation

Lewis Hamilton has been reprimanded by the FIA, following an investigation into the Ferrari driver’s reaction to single yellows at the British Grand Prix.

The stewards took into account several mitigating circumstances for Hamilton, one of those being his battle with Max Verstappen at the time of the incident. The verdict means that Hamilton holds on to his podium result at Silverstone.

Lewis Hamilton reprimanded by the FIA

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Hamilton finished P3 in a confusing conclusion to the British Grand Prix behind the Safety Car. But, the drama did not end there for Hamilton, as the FIA announced an investigation into Hamilton potentially failing to slow sufficiently under yellow flags.

“I’ll probably get a penalty, I’m sure,” Hamilton had told Sky F1.

Nico Hulkenberg had parked his Audi on the inside of Copse, triggering the yellows.

The FIA has given Hamilton a reprimand, his first of the season, but the lack of a penalty means that he retains that podium.

In the verdict, the FIA stewards explained how Hamilton’s battle with Verstappen’s Red Bull, at the time of the incident, was one of the factors influencing Hamilton’s actions, and therefore the FIA’s decision.

The full statement reads: “The stewards heard from the driver of Car 44 (Lewis Hamilton), the team representative and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry and in-car video evidence.

“HAM entered the relevant sector before any yellow flag or yellow light panel was displayed, with no such indication present before Turn 9. The first light panel encountered after Turn 9 was displaying green immediately before Turn 10.

“The yellow indication on the steering wheel display only appeared once the driver was already on the straight towards Turn 10 and close to the end of the yellow flag zone.

“The evidence showed that there was no yellow light panel warning within the driver’s immediate field of vision and that the yellow indication on the steering wheel display remained visible for only a very short period.

“The stewards were therefore satisfied that the time available for the driver to react to the yellow flag indication was very limited.

“The stewards also accept that, immediately prior to entering the sector, HAM had been involved in an overtaking manoeuvre with VER and that the driver was expecting a counter attack. As a result, his attention remained directed to his mirrors for most of the straight towards Turn 10, rather than immediately towards the green light panel at the end of the sector.

“The stewards took this into account when considering whether the visibility of the green light panel should itself have made it clear to the driver that he was still within a yellow flag zone.

“The stewards nevertheless determine that, after the yellow had been displayed on the steering wheel display and the green light panel was illuminated immediately before Turn 10, HAM did not make a discernible reduction of speed and therefore did not fully comply with the requirements applicable under a single yellow flag.

More British GP talking points via PlanetF1.com

‘F*** this car!’ Verstappen explodes after British GP crash as Red Bull ignored plea

Brundle furious as FIA explains British GP Safety Car error

“In determining the penalty, the stewards took into account that HAM had entered the sector before the yellow was shown, that the yellow indication reached the driver only when he was already near the end of the sector, that the time and distance available to react were very limited, and that the driver’s attention had, for understandable reasons, been occupied by the immediately preceding battle with another car.

“In those circumstances, the stewards considered that a reprimand was the appropriate penalty.”

Still P3 in the championship, Hamilton has closed his deficit to P1 Kimi Antonelli to 32 points.

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: Charles Leclerc wins British Grand Prix after late drama for Antonelli and Verstappen