Lewis Hamilton escaped serious punishment following his on-track altercation with Pastor Maldonado during Belgian GP qualifying.
McLaren star gets slap on the wrist after collision with Maldonado
Lewis Hamilton escaped serious punishment following his on-track altercation with Pastor Maldonado during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.
Maldonado made contact with the McLaren driver at the end of the second session at Spa-Francorchamps moments after Hamilton had muscled his way past the Venezuelan's Williams at the Bus Stop chicane, as he sought to complete a flying lap.
The 2008 world champion's car had to be hastily repaired by his team prior to the final session but he still managed to qualify second for the race behind Sebastian Vettel.
However, Hamilton was later reprimanded for his part in the incident by a four-man panel of stewards that for this race includes former world champion Nigel Mansell.
Both drivers were charged with causing a collision, with Maldonado handed a five-place grid penalty, dropping him to 21st.
It was the second collision between the pair this season. They also had a coming together during the closing stages of the Monaco Grand Prix in May, when Hamilton hit Maldonado and forced him out of the race when he was on course for the first points of his F1 career.
Hamilton was penalised by stewards on that occasion but blame for the latest incident appeared to rest with Maldonado, who cut across the McLaren as both cars exited the La Source hairpin.
Maldonado was forced to pull off the track as a result, whilst Hamilton made it back to the garage with damage to his car.
Ahead of the top-10 shoot-out, McLaren sent Hamilton out with a new nose and with other parts of his car bandaged with gaffer tape, but the 26-year-old responded brilliantly with his third successive front-row place.
Touched
"It wasn't the most exciting meeting at the stewards' office, but another one on the list," said Hamilton.
"They played back my in-car footage, but they didn't have his for some reason, unfortunately, but it wasn't a racing incident.
"Through the last corner we just touched a little bit, and perhaps he was upset about that and just wanted to make a point to me, I don't know.
"I haven't spoken with him, but it's clear from the footage we're going down a straight which curves to the right.
"He's far on the right, I'm far on the left and I can't go any more to the left, and somehow his car ends up hitting me right in front.
"It did feel like quite a hard thump. It's up to everyone else to come up with their own opinions about it, but I didn't drive into anyone.
"I was actually quite lucky his rear wheel didn't hit my front and I didn't get more damage, or that he was flipped or had a big, big crash. We were lucky there."
Hamilton, who stands 88 points behind Vettel heading into Sunday's race, added: "I'm now going to race as hard as I can.
"I've come into this weekend quite solid and I think we've the pace to challenge everyone here."
Meanwhile, team-mate Jenson Button starts 13th after a "miscommunication" with the pit wall during Q2 but the 2009 champion is still targeting victory.
"It's a bit of a shock being back in 13th, especially as the car's been working great all weekend," said Button, 100 points adrift of Vettel.
"I'm very happy with the car, the most confident I've been with it all year.
"What happened shouldn't have happened, but we've to move forward now and although the win is very difficult, that's exactly what I'm setting out to do."
