Mercedes receives a reprimand

This afternoon, the stewards delivered their verdict: for Lewis Hamilton’s late arrival at the Thursday press conference, Mercedes has received a reprimand. Here are the explanations.

Despite the explanations from the Mercedes representative, stating that Lewis Hamilton’s delay was due to a busy schedule for his home Grand Prix, the officials have decided to reprimand the team rather than the driver. The reason is simple: it is the team that manages the schedule of their driver, including official activities such as press conferences. Therefore, Mercedes should have been concerned about Lewis Hamilton’s punctuality, regardless of it being a national Grand Prix or not.

But since this rule violation was minor, the commissioners simply reprimanded Mercedes without any further consequences. However, if there were to be a repeat offense, more severe penalties could be imposed.

Here is what the FIA’s statement said: « The stewards considered that these Thursday activities of the race weekend are different from pre-event activities that have an impact on the competition and can aid in a driver’s preparation. The Thursday activities are usually organized by the teams, and the drivers follow instructions from their team coordinators. As a result, the stewards determined that the most appropriate penalty was to be imposed on the team rather than the driver. Since some leeway has been given previously, the stewards consider that a reprimand to the team is appropriate, with the warning that further penalties may be considered in case of a repeat offense. »

Nothing too serious, but a warning about non-compliance with the rules: even the smallest infractions are penalized.