Hamilton threatened with an engine penalty at Zandvoort
Lewis Hamilton was forced to retire in Spa after his collision with Fernando Alonso. The members of the Mercedes team asked the British driver to stop in order to preserve the engine.
Hamilton’s W13 landed heavily after being launched following contact with Alonso in the first lap. Footage from Alonso’s cockpit camera and other following cars showed liquid coming out from the back of the Mercedes.
The team studied the car’s telemetry and barely 30 seconds after the impact, Peter Bonnington, the engineer of the seven-time world champion, didn’t fully press the accelerator pedal.
Shortly after the impact, Bonnington asked Hamilton to pull over on the right side of the track. Hamilton continued slowly while looking for a place to stop before responding to further requests to stop by turning off the engine roughly 90 seconds after being violently thrown.
Two engines in two races?
A spokesperson for Mercedes confirmed to Motorsport.com that the power unit had been sent back to Brixworth for a thorough examination to determine whether it could be reused or not. They noted that the condition of the V6 engine was very concerning.
Hamilton had only used two V6 engines before using his third engine of the year on Friday at Spa. The engine was therefore brand new and should have allowed the British driver to complete the season without any further modifications, and therefore, without having to concede any penalties.
The retirement at Spa could ultimately cost more than a “simple retirement”. Lewis Hamilton might have to change his engine and be forced to start from the back of the grid. Unfortunately for him, Zandvoort is not a circuit where such big comebacks are possible as at Spa.
