Brazilian GP: Lewis Hamilton fined for removing safety belts to pick Brazil flag post-race

'You Can do anything you put your mind to' these are the words that came from, Lewis Hamilton, following his stunning win over Max Verstappen at Brazilian GP on Sunday. Starting the race at P10 following the penalty from the race stewards, Lewis Hamilton roared his way to victory and kept his dream alive of winning the 8th F1 World Championship alive.

The drama which unfolded at Sao Paulo Grand Prix saw Lewis Hamilton in the middle of things both before and after the race. Earlier the British driver was disqualified from Friday's qualifying session for a technical infringement related to the DRS system and post the win he was fined for loosening his safety belts.

Lewis Hamilton fined at Sao Paulo Grand Prix

According to the F1 website, after Lewis Hamilton won at Brazilian GP,  a team representative from Mercedes was summoned to see the stewards over an alleged breach of the sporting code by the defending champion relating to his safety belts. As per the report, Lewis Hamilton stop on track once he'd crossed the line to grab a Brazilian flag from a marshal, before setting off again on his victory lap, and it appears he may have loosened his belts in order to reach for the flag.

The website report states that the issue is in relation to Article 4 of the sporting regs, which states: "Drivers must be properly restrained in their seat by safety belts in conformity with the technical regulations for the vehicle concerned, at all times during a competition when it is mobile on a circuit, pit lane, special stage or competition course."

Lewis Hamilton comeback at Brazilian GP

Following Lewis Hamilton's victory over Max Verstappen at Brazilian GP, the points difference between both drivers in the championship has now reduced to 14 points, with three races left.  Hamilton's teammate, Valtteri Bottas, finished third and Red Bull's Sergio Perez was fourth with the Mexican clocking the fastest lap of the race. The Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were fifth and sixth, respectively.

Verstappen led most of the race after the first turn when he overtook polesitter Bottas. But Hamilton, who rose from 10th to the third position in just six laps, went ahead of Verstappen on lap 59. Hamilton finished the race with a 10-second advantage over Verstappen and said he felt like he had won his first race before a joyous crowd at Interlagos. Mercedes is now 11 points ahead of Red Bull in the constructor standings. 

Brazil was cut from the 2020 calendar because of restrictions in place for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sao Paulo Grand Prix, renamed for this year, was allowed to open for full capacity only weeks ago when the state government eased restrictions for November.  Qatar hosts the next race on Nov. 21, followed by Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.

(With AP inputs)

Image: F1/ Twitter