Lewis Hamilton has avoided further penalty for his Monaco outburst in which he criticised his fellow drivers and the FIA stewards.
The FIA president Jean Todt has revealed that the McLaren driver could have been hauled up before the WMSC court for bringing the sport into disrepute, and could have faced a six race ban.
The 2008-world champion won’t face any disciplinary action though, after he tweeted an apology to Felipe Massa and Pastor Maldonado and chose to go to the stewards to explain himself following his rant.
He also wrote a letter to Todt, who admitted he tried to avoid getting involved.
“I am trying to maintain a good harmony amongst everybody,” he told the Telegraph. “I have tried to avoid controversy. I could have leaked the letter but it’s between him and the FIA.
“My office was next to the stewards. 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,” he said.
The Frenchman says the matter is officially over, but the consequences could have been very dear had he not taken the action he did after the race to improve the situation.
“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. He went with his father.
“Maybe it would have been better to put him in the court; to ban him for six grands prix. But he wrote to me and I wrote to him and the thing is over.”
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