Jean Todt says Lewis Hamilton escaped punishment in Monaco after apologising to stewards – Formula 1
International Automobile Federation (FIA) boss Jean Todt has said that McLaren’s Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton was not penalised over his Monaco Grand Prix incident of the 2011 Formula 1 season after he apologised to stewards.
Todt added that Hamilton’s comments after the race were not good but after the Brit apologised to the stewards, the case never rolled on.
Hamilton was penalised twice in the Monaco Grand Prix after he was involved in two separate incidents involving Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and Williams’ Pastor Maldonado.
After the punishment, Hamilton was again summoned by the race stewards after he made some strange comments.
Todt has now revealed the case of Hamilton by saying that, “I could have asked our judicial court to address the problem but we never officially opened the case. He went to the stewards to apologise. Maybe it would have been better to put him in the court;
to ban him for six grand prix. But he wrote to me and I wrote to him and the thing is over.”
Todt added that, “I have tried to avoid controversy. Every time I went to see them I avoided making any comment. For me what Lewis said was unacceptable but I didn't want to overreact.”
Hamilton was involved in more than one incident in the Monaco Grand Prix out of which he was penalised for two. Firstly, at the very start of the race, Hamilton came in contact with Michael Schumacher of Mercedes and damaged the German’s front wing.
Then in the middle part of the race, Hamilton damaged Massa’s car and finally in the final stages of the race, the Brit collided with Pastor Maldonado.
Hamilton said that on every occasion, the other driver involved drove carelessly but still he was penalised.
Todt added that everything was handled professionally and no one was penalised as apologies were made right after the incidents.
The 2011 Formula 1 season continues this weekend in Canada on June 12, 2011.
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