Penalty Gifts Hamilton’s Victory To Massa At Spa
Sep 07, 2008
Shell
Lewis Hamilton has been stripped of his Belgium GP win.
The FIA and stewards have handed Hamilton a 25-second penalty, which moves him into third place. Felipe Massa has been confirmed as the winner, with Nick Heidfeld second.
Massa had originally finished 14sec behind Hamilton, who thought he had claimed a fifth win of the season, with Heidfeld 23sec off the pace.
The decision left 23-year-old Hamilton with just a two-point lead over Massa in the championship with only five races left.
Hamilton had taken the chequered flag after a dramatic conclusion to the race but a stewards’ inquiry was launched into an incident on lap 42 of the 44-lap race in which he made a move on entry into the Bus Stop chicane, and collided with Kimi Raikkonen.
On lap 42 the collision with the Ferrari driver pushed Hamilton onto the run-off area and he resumed in the lead before letting Raikkonen through, fearing an instant penalty from the race stewards.
However, on reviewing footage of the race they decided to punish Hamilton anyway. Raikkonen later crashed out as the wet weather took its toll.
Hamilton thought he had stretched his lead in the drivers’ championship to eight points by finishing first, however, his advantage over Brazilian Massa has now been reduced to two.
