As Lewis Hamilton visits the stewards yet again in Brazil, it surely will not be for a congratulatory cup of coffee. Believe it or not, there is another investigation slammed on the victor. After a weekend filled with bad luck, it looks like Lewis just can’t catch a break! As they discuss the “use of safety belts,” it will not be a new conversation Hamilton will be having.

Although this should be left off with a reprimand, the discussion sounds all too familiar. They discussed a similar topic at the 2017 Japanese Grand Prix when Romain Grosjean stood up for Sebastian Vettel. Another year of intense rivalry; the subtle dig on Grosjean’s part was a detailed discussion about seatbelts.

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Revisiting seat belt regulations with Lewis Hamilton

The 2017 Japanese GP driver’s briefing began with Lewis Hamilton putting his then-rival under the spotlight. In context, Vettel had hitched a lift with Pascal Wehrlein after crashing with Lance Stroll in the final laps of the Malaysian GP. The Ferrari driver then hopped onto the side of Wehrlein’s Sauber with his steering wheel in hand. Another moment for the books!

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However, Hamilton brought out the rule books and questioned the rules surrounding walking around with one’s steering wheel. Although the Stewards found no problem with Vettel taking his steering wheel, tensions were high between the rivals. However, Romain Grosjean decided to stir the pot a little.

The Haas driver enquired, “After the checkered flag, are you allowed to undo the belt?” Charlie Whiting’s negative answer brought a cheeky smile to Grosjean’s face. “Alright… Well, I think Lewis has been doing it quite a lot!”

The debate then began about the difference between undoing and loosening the belt, as the drivers in the conference enjoyed the drama unfold. Drawing a parallel to the situation at hand presently, Whiting’s explanation might be helpful.

“I think reasonably loosening is reasonable… I think at the speed Lewis was driving at, I think it was a perfectly reasonable thing to allow.” Although Grosjean wouldn’t let the argument go, soon, Felipe Massa joined in!

Soon, Hamilton confessed to undoing his belt, despite Whiting taking his side in the argument. As awkward laughter and tension filled the room, in hindsight, it looked like a scene out of a sitcom.

Despite the brief throwback, hopefully, a shared laugh and a reprimand are all Hamilton leaves the FIA room with. After a penalty-filled weekend, Hamilton deserves a long sip from his champagne bottle!

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