Hamilton keeps Bahrain GP pole after investigation for reversing

Hamilton and his Mercedes team were summoned to see the stewards to discuss the incident, but the officials felt that a reprimand was sufficient as there had been "no clear instruction" on where Hamilton should park.

The investigation had been over a potential breach of article 28.3 of the F1 regulations, which states: "at no time may a car be reversed in the pitlane under its own power".

Hamilton had continued his unbeaten run in 2016 F1 qualifying by pipping Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg with a second flying lap in Q3.

His first run had left the world champion only fourth on the grid, but he rebounded with a circuit record 1m29.493s lap that Rosberg's only second effort fell 0.077 seconds shy of.

Explaining the incident, Hamilton said: "I slowed down under the speed limit quite a long way, and was just waiting, trying to figure out which way I was going.

"Usually there is a guy standing there telling you which way to go, and the one that was there wasn't looking anyway.

"I thought I had to go in front of a group as usually we have a one, two, three kind of thing, so I pulled up ahead and no-one was there.

"I was then in the area where we take the photos at the end. I was on it, so I just reversed off it and stopped."

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff conceded to being relieved no greater punishment was applied.

"It's always serious when you are summoned to the stewards," said Wolff.

"It's very dangerous to take it too easy. In this case there was an obvious explanation for what happened."