Autosport Plus

How Hamilton's undeserved ban peril highlights F1's rule dilemmas

OPINION: Before the Sochi stewards decided to rescind the penalty points included in Lewis Hamilton's Russian GP sanctions, he was on the verge of a race ban. Sense prevailed, but it highlighted problems in policing modern Formula 1

He sees the puff of dust rising from the gravel trap. He sees the car away in the distance to his left. He is on a critical final run in qualifying. He needs to hit back against a resurgent team-mate. He doesn't see the waved double yellow flags. He's in trouble. He gets the inevitable penalty. He misses the next race.

In another universe in two weeks' time, this could be Lewis Hamilton. Right now, that parallel person is staring down the barrel of a race ban. Lewis Hamilton - still in this parallel place as a six-time world champion - with none of the driving controversies that dogged the careers of his hero Ayrton Senna, and the driver he is surely soon set to equal as statistically the greatest of all time: Michael Schumacher.

Share Or Save This Story

Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.