Hamilton to be fined for the FIA gala absence

The 2021 F1  championship battle ended in some controversial fashion in Abu Dhabi, as Red Bull driver Max Verstappen passed Mercedes driver Hamilton on the final lap to take the Drivers’ Championship from his rival, with the controversy revoloving around the Safety Car restart.

Lewis Hamilton was not heard or seen after his unfortunate loss in the championship finale as he and his team felt robbed off his eighth consecutive drivers title which was pretty evident when he and his team principle Toto Wolff decided not to attend the FIA’s traditional end-of-season event where the trophies and prizes are handed out.

Hamilton was expected to come and receive his trophy for finishing runner-up to Verstappen in the standings.

As those action from Hamilton and his team were against the sporting regulations, the decision which was taken after the meeting with the new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in Bahrain was that Hamilton will be fined for his absence.

“There will be some sort of fine for the gala,”

However, Hamilton confirmed that the fine money will go towards a good cause.

“But we have worked together to make sure that the money will be put towards youth from underprivileged backgrounds getting into motorsports engineering,” Hamilton confirmed.

Hamilton also sees the appointment of Ben Sulayem as the FIA president a positive on this front.

Ben Sulayem has succeeded Jean Todt as the FIA president, who stepped down from the role at the end of last year.

“I met Mohammed a long, long time ago through an event that we had in Dubai so it is good to see him in the position he is in,”

“It again adds to that diversity challenge that we are trying to overcome.”

said Hamilton.