Lewis Hamilton approached FIA over Nico Rosberg Hungarian GP pole

Following Saturday's qualifying session at the Hungaroring, Hamilton sought clarification from Whiting over correct interpretation of yellow flag rules.

Hamilton was concerned because Rosberg kept pole despite posting the best time in sector two where there had been an incident requiring double-waved yellow flags.

Rosberg later managed to demonstrate to the stewards he had lifted adequately under the yellows for Fernando Alonso's spin.

Seconds earlier Hamilton, who had been quickest in the first sector, had been forced to slow considerably and consequently lost pole.

Though Hamilton did speak personally to Whiting about the matter as he felt a worrying precedent had been set, Autosport has learned this had no influence on the stewards' decision to investigate his pole.

Questions were raised given it was almost four hours from the end of qualifying to the start of the hearing, with Rosberg forced to return to the track to explain his side after attending an event in Budapest with schoolchildren.

Hamilton was asked post-race whether the delay was because stewards had not planned to investigate before his interjection, to which he replied: "I don't believe that I influenced the stewards' enquiry.

"I have spoken to Charlie in clarification."

Part of the reasoning behind the timing delay is the stewards were also heavily involved in adjudicating the debate over how the 107% rule should be applied.

It has also emerged new evidence came to light during that period that led to the stewards opting to look more thoroughly into the matter.

It was discovered there was a one-second time gap between the yellow lights appearing on track and appearing on the dash of Rosberg's Mercedes, an anomaly that can occur on occasion.

It then became a question of Rosberg's approach to the second of the two yellow-flag sectors, and the timing of when it changed from double to single yellow.

Data had already demonstrated Rosberg lifted 'significantly' in the first yellow-flag sector, and the stewards discovered Rosberg's approach to the second yellow sector was timed just as the lights on track changed from double yellow to single, so allowing him to increase speed.

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff feels Hamilton was right to raise questions with Whiting.

"The rules are the rules and they are very clear,"said Wolff.

"Nico complied 100% with the rules. He gave it a big lift under yellow and that is enough. Full stop.

"It's good Lewis enquires about that because it's a lot of rules, and maybe what we should try to achieve is to simplify the rules and make them less [complicated].

"So I was OK with what happened."