Lewis Hamilton’s spectacular victory was under threat Sunday when he was summoned to the stewards for an aborted pit stop during the safety car period of the German Grand Prix. The stewards summoned him to investigate a possible breach of the International Motoring Federation (FIA) Sporting Code when he crossed a line between the pit entry lane and the race circuit.
Hamilton stormed from 14th on the grid to win the rain-hit race and regain the leadership of the world championship after title rival Sebastian Vettel crashed out in the treacherous conditions. Hamilton chose to stay out on his ultra-soft tyres during the safety sar period that followed Vettel’s accident, swerving away from pitting and crossing a patch of grass to re-join the straight.
The stewards summoned Hamilton citing the code which states: “Except in cases of force majeure (accepted as such by the stewards), the crossing, in any direction, of the line separating the pit entry and the track by a car entering the pit lane is prohibited.”
