Lewis Hamilton has kept his victory at Formula 1’s German Grand Prix, following a post-race investigation by stewards.
Hamilton recovered from 14th place on the grid to triumph in a dramatic German Grand Prix that was affected by showers, with title rival Sebastian Vettel crashing out with 15 laps to go.
Vettel’s stricken car required a Safety Car period, under which Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas, running ahead on track, was called into the pits.
GERMAN GRAND PRIX: Race result | Championship standings
Hamilton drove into the pit entry lane but eventually ran across the grass and stayed on track, amid a sequence of conflicting messages from his Mercedes team.
Hamilton inherited the lead when Kimi Raikkonen also stopped and subsequently kept Bottas at bay at the restart, after which team orders were implemented, to triumph.
Both Hamilton and Mercedes, represented by Sporting Director Ron Meadows, were summoned to meet the stewards for an “alleged breach of Appendix L Chapter IV Article 4c of the FIA’s International Sporting Code.”
Except in cases of force majeure (accepted as such by the stewards), the crossing, in any direction, of the line separating the pit entry and the track by a car entering the pit lane is prohibited,” reads the appendix.
Stewards met with Hamilton and Mercedes Sporting Director Ron Meadows and opted to issue a reprimand, once the matter had been discussed at length.
"It was clear that there was an infringement of the above mentioned rule – the driver clearly crossed the line separating the pit entry from the track," read the verdict.
"In deciding on the penalty for the infringement, we took into account the following mitigating factors:
(i) the driver and the team candidly admitted the mistake and the fact that there was confusion within the team as to whether to stay out or enter the pits and that led to the infringement.
(ii) The fact that the infringement took place during a Safety Car period.
(iii) At no time was there any danger to any other competitor and the change in direction was executed in a safe way.
Taking all of the above into account, including considering previous infringements of the above rule, we are of the opinion that a reprimand would be the appropriate penalty for the said infringement on this occasion."
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