Sir Lewis Hamilton narrowly avoided a penalty from the stewards following criticism from Carlos Sainz over his risky driving behavior in Saudi Arabia.
Following a disappointing performance in the Bahrain season opener, Hamilton and Mercedes are aiming for a strong comeback in Jeddah this weekend.
However, the seven-time Formula 1 champion has encountered setbacks, finishing eighth in both Thursday’s practice sessions, considerably behind Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso who posted the fastest times.
In addition to his performance struggles, Hamilton faced scrutiny after being called to the race stewards for nearly causing a major collision during FP2.
Hamilton was driving at a reduced speed when Sainz’s Ferrari approached from behind, and shortly afterward, Williams’ Logan Sargeant, on a fast lap, reached the same section of the track. Due to Hamilton’s presence, Sargeant had to make evasive maneuvers to prevent a significant collision, veering off the road on the fast-paced street circuit. Sargeant expressed frustration over the radio, stating, “Mate! Come on! It’s too risky.” Sainz shared similar concerns, describing Hamilton’s actions as highly hazardous, as he appeared to be positioned poorly on the track.
“I couldn’t make space. Sargeant was very close to crashing because of him.”
In response, Hamilton mentioned, “I wasn’t aware someone was on a lap. I was attempting to make room for Sainz, and suddenly there was a Williams there.”
Such incidents typically result in a grid penalty for the obstructing driver. However, the stewards attributed the responsibility to Mercedes themselves for the close call, stating, “After reviewing the team radio communication, it was evident to us that Car 44’s [Hamilton’s] team failed to alert their driver about Car 2 [Sargeant] approaching on a fast lap.”
“That was a significant oversight by the team, especially considering the speeds on this track and the characteristics of turn 11, which comes after a sequence of high-speed corners where driver visibility is limited. As a result, we issue a warning to the driver and impose a €15,000 (£12,800) fine on the team.”
“Today was challenging. I’m simply not feeling confident with the rear of the car,” Hamilton later remarked to Sky Sports.
“In terms of our setup, we made significant adjustments to the car, but there’s still a fundamental problem with the rear end that I’m finding difficult to manage. As a result, I experienced some major challenges during the session. In those high-speed sections, it’s crucial to have complete trust in the car, which I’m currently lacking. My primary focus is on achieving a stable rear, and once that’s sorted, I’ll be satisfied.”