SEPANG, Malaysia, (Reuters) – The chances of Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton facing fresh sanctions for deliberately misleading race stewards receded yesterday when the sport’s governing body accepted his public apology.
However, the Paris-based International Automobile Federation (FIA) said the Briton’s McLaren team could yet be summoned to appear before its world motor sport council with the risk of heavy penalties.
“We recognise Lewis’s efforts to set the record straight today,” an FIA spokesman said.
“It would appear that he was put in an impossible position. We are now awaiting reports from the FIA observer and stewards before consideration can be given to further investigation of his team’s conduct.”
Hamilton held a news conference yesterday to apologise at the Malaysian Grand Prix a day after being stripped of his third place from last weekend’s season-opening race in Australia.
Race stewards decided that he and McLaren had misled them at a post-race enquiry in Melbourne that demoted Toyota’s Jarno Trulli from third to 12th and elevated Hamilton from fourth to third.
