Lewis faces probe over cops T-shirt
LEWIS Hamilton faces an FIA investigation for wearing a ‘political’ T-shirt at yesterday’s Tuscan Grand Prix. The world champion sported the slogan, ‘Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor’, referring to the 26-year-old medical technician in Louisville, Kentucky, who was fatally shot after her boyfriend opened fire on police during a drugs search at their house on March 13.
Hamilton wore the shirt during the ‘taking a knee’ ceremony and on the podium as God Save the Queen played to celebrate his 90th career win.
The Kentucky Attorney General is still investigating the killing, which has led to riots in America, so Hamilton’s intervention is seen by several senior F1 figures as being potentially ‘political’.
FIA statutes forbid political statements of any kind. Hamilton could be fined, with one official privately indicating to Sportsmail the Mercedes man had ‘crossed a line’.
Meanwhile, Hamilton navigated his way through mayhem in Italy to notch win No 90, one short of Michael Schumacher’s pinnacle that many thought would never be touched.
The world champion will try to match the great German in Sochi a fortnight hence. As for Schumacher, well, his deeds hung reprovingly over what was meant to be Ferrari’s celebration of their 1,000th grand prix.
However, the best the Scuderia could manage here was eighth for Charles Leclerc and tenth for Sebastian Vettel from 12 finishers.
Yes, they fell like the Light Brigade in the early stages of the race. First, came a prang at the second corner that accounted for AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly and Red Bull’s out-ofluck Max Verstappen. His second DNF in consecutive races blew apart his faint championship hopes.
Yesterday an engine problem plunged him straight down the field and he would have retired with that regardless of the crash to which he was then exposed.
The safety car it produced peeled in after six laps. Chaos soon reigned. Valtteri Bottas, the then leader, waited until the last permitted moment to put his foot down. But behind him, some of the pack were overzealous and effectively restarted the race before those in front had done so.
They got on and off the throttle and brakes in a few frantic seconds. Williams’ Nicholas Latifi sped up and slowed down. Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi went into the back of him. McLaren’s Carlos Sainz then careered into Giovinazzi, lifting him into the air. Haas driver Kevin Magnussen was also caught up in the accident. All four were sent into the barriers. A cloud of smoke obscured the scene.
Sainz hurt his hand. But everyone thankfully walked away.
Bottas finished second, five seconds adrift, with Red Bull’s London-born Thai Alex Albon third — his first podium.