Lewis Hamilton has been handed a €5,000 fine after he undid his seat belts during his in-lap following his victory at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Hamilton beat title rival Max Verstappen to the win in Brazil, besting the Red Bull driver following a series of wheel-to-wheel battles.
After the grand prix, Hamilton was summoned to the stewards for allegedly breaching Appendix L Chapter III Article 4 of the FIA International Sporting Code.
Following the stewards’ investigation, they opted to issue the seven-time world champion with a €5,000 fine and an additional €20,000 which is suspended through the end of 2022.
“The Stewards heard from the team representative and reviewed video evidence. The driver of car 44, Lewis Hamilton, undid his seat belts on the in-lap at the end of the race,” read a statement from the stewards.
“While the Stewards are sympathetic to the desire to celebrate, it is fundamentally unsafe to undo the seatbelts while the car is in motion. Slow speeds in these cars are very fast for an unrestrained occupant. Further, Formula 1 drivers set the example for junior categories.
“It is critical that junior category drivers learn the importance of using all the safety devices of the car at all times.”
