During the second free practice session at the sweltering Sepang circuit, Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton found himself in trouble with the stewards after blocking Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto at the entry to Turn 9. The incident occurred while the British driver was dealing with a damaged right-hand side mirror, resulting in a terrifying closing speed of over 150 km/h that forced the Brazilian to take evasive action.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Following the session, the FIA race stewards handed the seven-time world champion a formal warning, while the Ferrari team was slapped with a €10,000 fine for failing to warn their driver over the radio. Although the stewards accepted that the damaged mirror and the fact that Gabriel Bortoleto was not on a push lap served as mitigating circumstances, they emphasized that Lewis Hamilton unnecessarily impeded a significantly faster car by moving onto the racing line at slow speed.
The stewards also highlighted the team's responsibility to exercise extra care when their driver has impaired visibility. Meanwhile, FP3 ended with Charles Leclerc setting the pace ahead of Isack Hadjar for Red Bull and Lando Norris for McLaren.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur reflected on the practice running, emphasizing that tyre degradation will play a massive role throughout the remainder of the weekend.
Heading into the decisive phases of the season, Lewis Hamilton sits 3rd in the drivers' standings with 199 points.
Source: Motorsport
