Breaking news: FIA Delivers Verdict on Lewis Hamilton Incident During S….readmore
The FIA has officially concluded its investigation into an incident involving Lewis Hamilton and Alex Albon during Free Practice 2 (FP2) at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The inquiry centered around whether Hamilton had impeded Albon during the session, which led to a near-miss on track and a strong reaction from the Williams driver.
During FP2, Alex Albon was on a hot lap, attempting to post a competitive time, when he encountered Hamilton’s Mercedes ahead of him on the racing line. The unexpected presence of the seven-time world champion forced Albon to take evasive action, disrupting his lap and leading to frustration within the Williams garage. Albon immediately voiced his displeasure over team radio, using expletives and labeling Hamilton’s maneuver as “dangerous.”
The FIA promptly launched an investigation to determine whether Hamilton had violated regulations by obstructing Albon’s flying lap. After reviewing footage and telemetry data, and hearing from both drivers and their respective teams, the stewards decided against issuing a grid penalty. However, Hamilton was handed a formal reprimand for the incident, which marked his first of the season. Additionally, the Mercedes team received a fine due to the lack of adequate communication that may have contributed to the situation.
The stewards concluded that while Hamilton did not intentionally block Albon, he could have been more aware of the approaching car. The decision reinforces the importance of vigilance during high-speed practice sessions, where multiple drivers are often on differing run programs, mixing slow preparation laps with fast qualifying simulations.
Mercedes acknowledged the oversight and accepted the reprimand without contest. Hamilton, speaking after the session, expressed that he hadn’t seen Albon coming and that it was never his intention to interfere with another driver’s lap.
This outcome allows Hamilton to maintain his starting position for the race, avoiding the disruption of a grid penalty, but it also serves as a reminder of the strict standards expected from drivers during official sessions. The FIA emphasized the need for teams and drivers to improve communication to prevent similar situations in the future.
As the race weekend progresses, the focus now returns to on-track performance, with both Hamilton and Albon aiming to secure strong results at the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
