Ferrari fined €30,000 for unsafe pit release at Belgian GP

The Ferrari Formula 1 team has been fined 30,000 euros, with 10,000 euros suspended, for an unsafe pit release that resulted in driver Lewis Hamilton striking a mechanic during the Belgian Grand Prix. Hamilton, who drives for Ferrari, was cleared of any fault by the sport's governing body, the FIA.

The incident occurred on lap 20 of the race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Hamilton, who was serving a pre-existing five-second time penalty for a separate on-track infringement, pitted under a Virtual Safety Car period. After serving the penalty, his car underwent a routine tire change. However, as he was given the green light to depart, a mechanic holding a front wing adjustment tool stepped into the path of the car's front right tire. The mechanic was knocked to the ground but was not injured. Hamilton stopped his car immediately upon realizing the contact.

In a detailed verdict, the race stewards attributed the unsafe release to a series of procedural failures and miscommunications within the Ferrari team. They noted a complex chain of events, including that Hamilton had requested a front wing adjustment, but this instruction was not properly conveyed to the team's "super...