Hamilton cleared, retains British GP pole
Lewis Hamilton will keep his pole position for the British Grand Prix after being cleared of blocking Romain Grosjean in Q3 at Silverstone.
Photo by: Sutton Images
Grosjean was left furious after feeling that he had been impeded by Hamilton on the left-hand turn into Club as he finished his first run in the final shoot-out session. His Haas team suspected he had lost around three tenths of a second in the incident.
Although the race stewards launched an investigation into the matter, their analysis of the situation was that while Hamilton had got in Grosjean's way, he had not cost the Frenchman anything.
A statement issued by the FIA said: "The Stewards examined video and telemetry evidence and concluded that while GRO may potentially have been affected by the presence of HAM at Turn 16, he was not impeded."
Prior to the stewards' decision, Hamilton had already apologised to Grosjean after claiming he had received no warning from his team over the radio that the Haas driver was approaching him.
"I was coming around to start my lap, Valtteri [Bottas] up ahead, I was trying to get the space behind me was one of the Force Indias, who then came in, so there was no one behind me," recalled Hamilton.
"Literally as I was about to get on the gas I looked in the mirror and saw a car, and I tried to get going – I I don't know if I got in the way, if I did I apologise.
"I had no indication from the team that anyone was coming. I need to look at the footage. I don't think he was that close when I pulled away, but I will have a look."
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