The FIA has set out in writing why further action was not taken against Lewis Hamilton at the start of the Miami Grand Prix sprint.
Hamilton claimed he had aimed for a gap at the apex of Turn 1, but Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso claimed he had “arrived like a bull” as multiple incidents caused a chain reaction.
FIA explains why no further action will be taken over contact with Lewis Hamilton
As Hamilton surged from the back to the inside, Alonso made contact with teammate Lance Stroll, and then Lando Norris was also involved in the melee, resulting in Stroll and Norris retiring from the sprint.
Alonso gave the FIA a sobering assessment when asked why it didn’t penalize Hamilton at that moment, but gave the Mercedes driver 10 seconds for speeding in the pit lane. Alonso felt Hamilton’s move “ruined” him. A race for many drivers took place early Saturday morning.
However, in explaining its position, the FIA said that, in fact, multiple contacts occurred at the start and that Hamilton had “contributed” to the outcome of the accident, but that Hamilton and the other drivers “were not fully or I couldn’t put it at risk.” “We have a responsibility,” he said, but emphasized an additional “forbearance” in order to be lenient in the first round of contact.
The FIA verdict stated: “The stewards considered the positioning/marshalling system data, video and in-car video evidence and found that cars 14, 18, 44 and 4 [Alonso, Stroll, Hamilton and Norris, ed.] The collision occurred during Turn 1 on the first lap.
“Cars 14 and 18 were damaged due to the collision. [Alonso and Stroll] and caused car number 4 [Norris] Retire.
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“From the video evidence, it appears there were at least three collisions, the first between cars 14 and 18, and then between cars 44.” [Hamilton] and car No. 14, and finally between car No. 18 and car No. 4.
“The incident appeared to have started with cars 14 and 18, but the sudden and quick arrival of car 44 contributed to the various collisions.
“However, we were unable to identify the driver or drivers or any of them who were wholly or largely responsible for the various crashes.
“Also bearing in mind that this was Turn 1 of the first lap and drivers were given a leniency for incidents, we took no further action.”
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