Lewis Hamilton said he feared the worst after accidentally knocking over a Ferrari pit crew member during Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, admitting his “heart sank” before learning the mechanic had escaped unhurt.
The incident occurred when Hamilton accelerated away from his pit stop after the green light signalled it was safe to leave. Ferrari later confirmed the mechanic was not injured, while the team avoided a sporting penalty that would have affected Hamilton’s result.
Instead, Ferrari received a €30,000 (£25,000) fine, with €10,000 (£8,500) suspended for 12 months provided a similar offence does not occur.
“The green light went, and so I went,” Hamilton explained. “You’re looking at the green light and not over at the pit crew. That’s more on the team, ultimately.”
The seven-time Formula One world champion, said the moment immediately reminded him of the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix, when then-Ferrari driver, Kimi Räikkönen accidentally struck mechanic, Francesco Cigorini, who suffered a double leg fracture.
“When it happened, I noticed him and I stopped, and what went through my mind was when Kimi hit and broke the leg. My heart really sank for a second. I’m really grateful he’s OK,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton’s eventful race also included a five-second penalty for an opening-lap collision with Mercedes driver, George Russell. Russell later described the contact as a racing incident that did not deserve a penalty.
Despite recovering to finish fourth, Hamilton admitted it had been a frustrating weekend, blaming himself for crashing in final practice on Saturday. He said the accident compromised Ferrari’s setup and qualifying performance, leaving him convinced he could have challenged for second or third on the grid.
“I take responsibility for my incident yesterday,” Hamilton said. “It had a knock-on effect with the setup not being right and qualifying out of position. In the race, I did the best job I could with the damage and the penalty.”
Oluwagbemisola Babalola
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