Hamilton avoids punishment: 'Curiously Hamilton was exonerated'

Martin Brundle is surprised that Lewis Hamilton got away with the incident at the first corner with Carlos Sainz. According to the Briton, the investigation into his compatriot mysteriously disappeared.

On the first lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sainz dived on the inside of Hamilton in turn six. Hamilton did what he also did in the 2021 duel with Verstappen, namely steer clear of the duel and cut the corner. Where he got away with it in 2021, the same seemed to be the case now. However, Sainz complained on board radio, referring to Lewis' earlier moment in 2021.

Hamilton being spared

After several laps, Hamilton was told over the team radio the FIA had requested that he should give his spot back to Sainz. A remarkable sensation, because in 2022, drivers had just become responsible for whether or not to return a position themselves. If they don't and the stewards disagree, a penalty follows.

In this way, the FIA wanted to limit communication between the teams and the stewards, but in Abu Dhabi it went wrong again. Indeed, Hamilton complied with the request to let Sainz pass and thus avoided a penalty. Brundle finds the course of action remarkable.

''Hamilton was asked to give the place back to Sainz which he duly did before quickly re-passing him. Then it was announced by race control that there would be no further action for gaining an advantage off track and curiously Hamilton was exonerated too,'' Brundle states in his column for Sky Sports.