Deposed Hamilton faces sanction for boycott

Lewis Hamilton is facing punishment for his no-show astatine the International Automobile Federation's year-ending gala successful Paris, the caller FIA caput Mohammed Ben Sulayem says.

The 60-year-old replaced Jean Todt arsenic president this week and was instantly bombarded by questions connected whether Hamilton had breached FIA rules by not attending.

"It's casual to beryllium bully to people. And it is inexpensive to beryllium nice. And it's besides to motivate people. But definitely, if determination is immoderate breach, determination is nary forgiveness successful this," said Sulayem.

Hamilton and his Mercedes squad were unhappy astatine the mode FIA officials restarted the last contention of the play successful Abu Dhabi past weekend, giving Max Verstappen of Red Bull the accidental to prehend victory, and the operator title, successful a one-lap sprint.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton could beryllium punished for not attending the gala. (Getty)

Hamilton, who received his knighthood this week, and Mercedes squad main Toto Wolff chose to skip the gala adjacent though Formula One rules say: "The drivers finishing first, 2nd and 3rd successful the Championship indispensable beryllium contiguous astatine the yearly FIA Prize Giving ceremony."

The caller F1 brag said rules indispensable beryllium followed and helium volition look into the matter.

"At the extremity of the day, rules are rules," said Sulayem.

"They are determination to beryllium improved but we person to look if determination is immoderate breach. It doesn't halt america from making a champion consciousness bully astir the sport."

"I person to look into it."

He refused to remark connected the details of the last-lap contention with the information car successful his location Grand Prix.

"I person promised we volition look into the rules and marque definite that immoderate concern of this benignant that occurs successful the future, we volition person an instant solution for it," Ben Sulayem said.

"We had a gathering with the drivers and I consciousness that what happened has been declared now. The FIA took a decision, we discussed it and determination was a statement, and present we person to commencement the caller season.

"We person to beryllium proactive and reactive. I consciousness it is simply a clip wherever arsenic a operator I would beryllium truthful upset for a while, but clip is simply a origin that volition cool. After the holidays and Christmas, successful the caller twelvemonth we volition commencement afresh."

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