Titch
05-10-2007, 03:14 PM
http://www.itv-f1.com/ImageLibrary/45066_1.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:openwin('Popups/Photo.aspx?IM_ID=45066','',770,550,'yes');)
Lewis Hamilton will not receive any penalty
for his handling of the second safety car
period in last Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel's 10-place grid penalty for
colliding with Mark Webber during the same
caution has also been annulled.
A statement from the stewards said that
punishments would be inappropriate given
the extremely wet conditions at Fuji.
Both Vettel and Mark Webber had suggested
that Hamilton had been accelerating and
braking unpredictably while following the
safety car at Fuji, causing confusion for the
drivers behind.
Vettel eventually ran into the back of
Webber, taking them both out of the race
and leaving Webber furious and Vettel distraught.
The officials initially held Vettel entirely responsible
and announced that he would drop 10 places on
the Shanghai grid.
But in China Toro Rosso approached the stewards
with new video evidence that it felt exonerated
the young German and showed that he had been
caught out by Hamilton slowing abruptly.
The FIA then confirmed yesterday morning
that it was looking into the incident again,
prompting 24 hours of speculation about
a possible penalty for Hamilton.
The championship leader was dismayed
by the latest controversy and the prospect
of being penalised when on the brink of
clinching the title.
"It looks like this weekend I'm probably
going to given a penalty and I think it's
just a shame for the sport," Hamilton
said earlier today.
"If this is the way it's going to keep going then
it's probably not somewhere that I want to be."
But after Webber, Hamilton and Vettel were all
called to see the stewards at Shanghai this
afternoon, it was announced that no punishments
would be applied.
Lewis Hamilton will not receive any penalty
for his handling of the second safety car
period in last Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel's 10-place grid penalty for
colliding with Mark Webber during the same
caution has also been annulled.
A statement from the stewards said that
punishments would be inappropriate given
the extremely wet conditions at Fuji.
Both Vettel and Mark Webber had suggested
that Hamilton had been accelerating and
braking unpredictably while following the
safety car at Fuji, causing confusion for the
drivers behind.
Vettel eventually ran into the back of
Webber, taking them both out of the race
and leaving Webber furious and Vettel distraught.
The officials initially held Vettel entirely responsible
and announced that he would drop 10 places on
the Shanghai grid.
But in China Toro Rosso approached the stewards
with new video evidence that it felt exonerated
the young German and showed that he had been
caught out by Hamilton slowing abruptly.
The FIA then confirmed yesterday morning
that it was looking into the incident again,
prompting 24 hours of speculation about
a possible penalty for Hamilton.
The championship leader was dismayed
by the latest controversy and the prospect
of being penalised when on the brink of
clinching the title.
"It looks like this weekend I'm probably
going to given a penalty and I think it's
just a shame for the sport," Hamilton
said earlier today.
"If this is the way it's going to keep going then
it's probably not somewhere that I want to be."
But after Webber, Hamilton and Vettel were all
called to see the stewards at Shanghai this
afternoon, it was announced that no punishments
would be applied.