The fault seems to be clearly linked to Hamilton, but the penalty only affects the team, which therefore retains the 3rd place of the seven-time world champion during the qualifying session of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix.
The fine is heavy. €25,000. This is nothing short of an unintentional lie on the part of Mercedes. During each session, a technical delegate fills out a form. The form stated that Lewis Hamilton was in compliance with the regulation regarding wearing jewelry, despite the fact that the British driver had not removed his piercing.
Noticed by the stewards, this mistake is costing the team dearly. Although the Mercedes team manager explained that the team was unaware that Lewis Hamilton had kept his piercing during this Grand Prix and that he had done so in the previous Grand Prix as well, the FIA deemed that the mistake should be punished.
The FIA had indicated a little earlier that an issue with a form from Mercedes had been identified without specifying the exact reason.
This error also highlights the fact that it is forbidden for drivers, under the sporting code, to wear jewelry for safety reasons during a session, qualifying or race, and that Hamilton also violated this rule. The FIA also did not penalize the Mercedes driver for this offense.
