FIA, Formula 1 Will Hear Red Bull's Case against Lewis Hamilton on Thursday

Mike Pryson
·2 min read
Photo credit: Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Photo credit: Mark Thompson - Getty Images
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The FIA and Formula 1 officials have called for a hearing on Thursday to discuss the matter of the 10-second penalty handed to Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton after contact between Hamilton's car and Max Verstappen's car at Silverstone.

The contact on the first lap of the race sent Verstappen's Red Bull machine off the track, into a tire barrier and out of the race. Following a red flag period for track cleanup and mending of the safety barrier, Hamilton was assessed a 10-second penalty. The seven-time champion not only made up the 10-second penalty, but he went on to win the F1 British Grand Prix and cut Verstappen's gap in the championship from 33 points to just eight.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said afterward that the penalty wasn't nearly enough, and he asked to appeal the penalty. Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko has gone so far as to call for a race ban for Hamilton.

“You can’t (penalize Hamilton) within the normal sporting code,” Marko told Sky Germany. “I don’t know what the maximum penalty is, but such dangerous and reckless behavior should be punished with a suspension or something.”

Hamilton was also on the wrong end of abuse on social media following the incident. Some of the comments led the FIA to post the following on it's website the day after the race:

"During, and after, yesterday’s British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was subjected to multiple instances of racist abuse on social media following an in-race collision. Formula 1, The FIA and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team condemn this behavior in the strongest possible terms. These people have no place in our sport and we urge that those responsible should be held accountable for their actions. Formula 1, the FIA, the drivers and the teams are working to build a more diverse and inclusive sport, and such unacceptable instances of online abuse must be highlighted and eliminated."

Thursday's hearing will be conducted via a video conference. Each team--Red Bull and Mercedes--are allowed to have three attendees, including the team managers, to state their case.

The meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET (17:00 CEST).