Lewis Hamilton has escaped penalty after being summoned to the race stewards in Mexico, picking up a reprimand instead for a breach of the International Sporting Code. The reigning World Champion was told to report to the stewards after the first practice session, following an alleged breach of the Race Director's instructions regarding how to rejoin the circuit when he ran wide at Turn 1. The latest instructions to the drivers state that "any driver who leaves the track on the left-hand side between Turns 1 and 2, or who passes to the left of the bollard on the apex of Turn 2, must rejoin the track by driving to the left-hand side of the bollard at Turn 3." Hamilton failed to do so when he ran off the track at the corner sequence early in first practice, instead scampering across the grass to rejoin. As a result, he was summoned before the stewards, who decided on their verdict. Hamilton has been found guilty of a breach of the International Sporting Code, with the exact transgression being a "failure to follow the instructions of the relevant officials for the safe and orderly conduct of the event." The steward's ruling read: "Hamilton left the track on the left-hand side between Turns 1 and 2 and rejoined the track between Turns 2 and 3, rather than rejoining by driving to the left-hand side of the bollard at Turn 3. "Whilst noting the driver's comments in relation to track conditions and his attempt to steer to the left after leaving the track, the stewards consider this to be a failure to follow the Race Director's instruction given in article 21.1a) of the Race Director's Event Notes." This is Hamilton's first reprimand of the season, with drivers permitted three reprimands before being given a grid penalty.
Most read
