Lewis Hamilton together with Mercedes Formula 1 team boss Toto Wolff is set to miss FIA prize-giving gala later tonight because they are still angry over the sad events that happened at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last Sunday.
Hamilton came second to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after he went past him in the last lap from a change to the safety car procedure.
Even though Mercedes has dropped its appeal into FIA’s way of handling the late-race (car restart in the final of the F1 season. Mercedes say they are still unhappy with how things were handled.
At the back of this, Mercedes will not be sending its championship-winning F1 and Formula E cars to Paris for pre-Gala photographs, and it is also official now that Hamilton not be at the event.
At a media briefing on Thursday, Wolff said Mercedes technical head James Allison will be present in Paris for the event night.
At a media briefing on Thursday, Wolff said Mercedes technical head James Allison will be present in Paris for the event night.
“I won’t be there because of my loyalty to Lewis and because of my own personal integrity.”
Hamilton’s absence at the FIA’s Prize Gala season event in Paris is a breach of Article 6.6 of F1 rules. The sporting regulations states; it’s obligatory for all top three finishers in the championship to attend the event.
“The drivers finishing first, second and third in the Championship must be present at the annual FIA Prize Giving ceremony.”
We wait to see if the FIA will sanction Hamilton for not showing up at the event.
