Should Hamilton get a penalty for missing the ceremony?

[chrisc90]

Should Lewis get a penalty for missing out on a mandatory price giving ceremony?

Rules from the 2021 Sporting code state:

Article 6.6: The drivers finishing first, second and third in the Championship must be present at the annual FIA Prize Giving ceremony.

Also, from the same document, there is a section dedicated to sanctions, which I guess is related to breach of the rules throughout the Sporting code:

18) SANCTIONS
18.1 The stewards may impose the penalties specifically set out in these Sporting Regulations in
addition to or instead of any other penalties available to them under the Code.
18.2 Any driver who receives three (3) reprimands in the same Championship will, upon the imposition of the third, be given a ten (10) grid place penalty for the race at that Event. If the third reprimand is imposed following an Incident during a race the ten (10) grid place penalty will be applied at the driver’s next Event.
The ten (10) grid place penalty will only be imposed if at least two (2) of the reprimands were imposed for a driving infringement.

Lewis was on 2 reprimands for the 2021 season so given the ruling in the sanctions it should be a 10 place grid drop at the next event.

Obviously Bahrain is the drivers next event, so any penalty, if one, should be applied at this race.

Let’s try not make this about RB fans bashing Lewis or anything along those lines, as it is nothing to do along those lines or max needing ‘help’ to get him to win races…

[Jolle]

Even with all the stuff from the last race, attending a gala in a time of covid, should not be mandatory.

[AeroDynamic]

for me, it depends on the AD Report. If the FIA suggest in anyway that AD was not correct, then no, I don't think they should punish him in anyway, but an apology.. arguably a financial reimbursement would be appropriate (Yeah, that aint gonna happen)

If they defend AD as correct, then he should get punished. A fine or a reprimand is proportionate.. I don't see why you would penalise a racer on track for something outside the bounds of track competing.

I want to emphasise that from my point of view, AD was not correct, and I don't think they should punish him at all. But if the sport says AD was correct .. rules are rules. But I don't agree they followed the rules themselves. so..

Even with all the stuff from the last race, attending a gala in a time of covid, should not be mandatory.

This is a good point. Although we know that's not the reason he didn't attend and he would be challenged to provide that as a very convincing answer given he gave them the silent treatment and someone with that reason would probably speak out on it quite effortlessly.

[marvin78]

Even with all the stuff from the last race, attending a gala in a time of covid, should not be mandatory.

Exactly that! It's not about a single human being. Nobody should be forced to attend to anything like a ceremony under COVID-conditions. That has nothing to do with rules. It's common sense.

[izzy]

Sure, as long as Mohammed wants to be the least popular person in the world after Vlad, and Ross feels so guilty about the extra fans he got from pulling Abu Dhabi he feels compelled to lose them again

[chrisc90]

I don’t think covid had much to do with the gala - it’s not different to race meetings where there are much more people around in the paddock/grid etc.

Having covid during that time I completely agree not attending.

[Tiny73]

No. No, he shouldn’t.

This thread has “locked” written all over it. Perhaps the mods should lock it now and let it die before the tiresome vitriol starts?

[TNTHead]

No, he should not. It wasn't the fairest move with not showing up. But a penalty influencing WDC standings or race outcome would be harsh for a secondary matter outside the race track.

Edit: this topic could be helped by a poll...

[chrisc90]

No. No, he shouldn’t.

This thread has “locked” written all over it. Perhaps the mods should lock it now and let it die before the tiresome vitriol starts?

The mods already have said it’s ok to warrant its own thread - after I questioned it in the Bahrain topic.

Providing people don’t bash each other - it’s a pretty relevant question ahead of the season start

[Aesop]

Get over it.

[DChemTech]

No. No, he shouldn’t.

This thread has “locked” written all over it. Perhaps the mods should lock it now and let it die before the tiresome vitriol starts?

Why? Given the regulations that are in place, it's a fair question, whether you agree with it or not. Why should we pre-emptively shut down discussions just because some members have a hard time keeping it civilized?

As I said in the race topic, I do not think it is fair to penalize Hamilton during the current season for this affair that transpired in the last. Given the circumstances and controversies of the season, I do not think it is necessary to punish him at all. Yes, it would have been more graceful of him to shown up on the event, but in the end, it's his decision and I do not see any need to punish him for it. If the powers that be disagree, I hope they do it in the form of a fine, not in a form that affects the current season.

[DChemTech]

Get over it.

You do realize a question is not an attack, right? This is not anti-Hamilton narrative or anything like that. It's just a question that essentially states "the rules are such, do you think they should be enforced?". No more, no less.

[Just_a_fan]

Even with all the stuff from the last race, attending a gala in a time of covid, should not be mandatory.

Irrespective of Covid, there is a simple mental health defence too - a driver in that position just needs to say he was feeling very down and mentally drained, etc., and couldn't face it all, blah, blah, and the FIA would look very silly prosecuting an action against him. We only have to look at mental health issues amongst professionals around the world of sport to see it's a very real issue for many.

[PlatinumZealot]

Should Lewis get a penalty for missing out on a mandatory price giving ceremony?

Rules state:

Article 6.6: The drivers finishing first, second and third in the Championship must be present at the annual FIA Prize Giving ceremony.

18) SANCTIONS
18.1 The stewards may impose the penalties specifically set out in these Sporting Regulations in
addition to or instead of any other penalties available to them under the Code.
18.2 Any driver who receives three (3) reprimands in the same Championship will, upon the imposition of the third, be given a ten (10) grid place penalty for the race at that Event. If the third reprimand is imposed following an Incident during a race the ten (10) grid place penalty will be applied at the driver’s next Event.
The ten (10) grid place penalty will only be imposed if at least two (2) of the reprimands were imposed for a driving infringement.

Lewis was on 2 reprimands for the 2021 season so given the ruling in the sanctions it should be a 10 place grid drop at the next event.

Obviously Bahrain is the drivers next event, so any penalty, if one, should be applied at this race.

Let’s try not make this about RB fans bashing Lewis or anything along those lines, as it is nothing to do along those lines or max needing ‘help’ to get him to win races…

Which document is this Article 6.6?
And which Article and document does 18) Sanctions belong to?

[Aesop]

Get over it.

You do realize a question is not an attack, right? This is not anti-Hamilton narrative or anything like that. It's just a question that essentially states "the rules are such, do you think they should be enforced?". No more, no less.

Yes, I do, but new season is around the corner and I hope we all are excited for the season ahead. I'm done with 2021.
I'm with Max by the way.