Ferrari have been fined €30,000 by the Formula 1 stewards after Lewis Hamilton struck a mechanic during an unsafe pit release at Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, with €10,000 of the penalty suspended for 12 months.
The incident occurred on Lap 20 of the 44-lap race at Spa-Francorchamps. Hamilton, already carrying a five-second time penalty for his first-lap contact with Mercedes' George Russell, pitted under the Virtual Safety Car. After serving his penalty and receiving fresh tyres, Hamilton was released from his pit box just as a Ferrari mechanic moved forward with a front-wing adjustment tool, stepping into the path of the car's front-right wheel. He was knocked to the ground but, crucially, was not injured.
Hamilton immediately stopped his car and checked on the mechanic's wellbeing via team radio. The stewards later confirmed the driver was "in no respect at fault" for the incident.
The stewards' investigation found that a complicated chain of events led to the unsafe release. Hamilton had requested a front-wing adjustment, but this was not communicated to the team's super controller. As the tyre change was completed and the green light was given for Hamilton to pull away, a mechanic — looking down at his tool rather than the pit signal — stepped forward and was struck.
Ferrari acknowledged the release was unsafe, attributing it to an "inappropriately late instruction for the wing adjustment, a lack of clear communication, and the mechanic's failure to notice the green light." The team committed to reviewing its pit-stop procedures and will submit a report to the FIA within 14 days.
The condition attached to the suspended portion of the fine requires that Ferrari commits no similar infringement within the next 12 months.
Hamilton kept his fourth-place finish, having managed to overtake McLaren's Oscar Piastri late in the race. Speaking after the Grand Prix, Hamilton expressed relief that his mechanic was unharmed.
The €30,000 fine — with €10,000 suspended — reflects the stewards' view that while the incident did not merit a sporting penalty, it did justify "a significant fine" given the clear breach of safety protocols.
Sources
- Formula 1 — Hamilton penalty for unsafe pit release in Belgian Grand Prix confirmed: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hamilton-penalty-for-unsafe-pit-release-in-belgian-grand-prix-confirmed.p8ItnzotleVFVAU50e08T
- Crash.net — Why Lewis Hamilton escaped penalty for Ferrari unsafe release after mechanic struck in F1 Belgian GP: https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1101498/1/why-lewis-hamilton-escaped-penalty-ferrari-unsafe-release-after-mechanic-struck
