Lewis Hamilton Calls On FIA to Make Rare Decision as Singapore GP Ends in Chaos

Lewis Hamilton has called on the FIA to make an emergency ruling after his Singapore Grand Prix ended in chaos.

Hamilton was in sixth place with three laps to go and preparing to overtake Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli when he suffered a brake problem.

The issue meant he had to back off significantly in order to avoid heavy braking and get to the chequered flag.

Although Hamilton did manage to cross the line in seventh, only dropping a place to team-mate Charles Leclerc, he lost 45 seconds to eighth-placed Fernando Alonso and finished just 0.4 seconds ahead of him.

He was placed under investigation by the FIA for exceeding track limits on several occasions on the last lap as he desperately tried to keep seventh place.

Onboard footage was not shown by the live TV directors as they instead prioritised McLaren's off-track celebrations after winning the Constructors' Championship.

Though not yet decided by the stewards, Hamilton was told by race engineer Riccardo Adami that he would receive a five-second penalty and drop to ninth.

But the seven-time champion suggested that he should not receive a penalty due to 'force majeure' - an unforeseen event outside of his control.

He said over the radio: "I can't stop the car mate. The brakes don't work, the pedal is on the floor. Surely it's not a penalty when it's force majeure..."

The situation is unprecedented for the FIA, who rarely rescind penalties unless there is a stewarding error or favourable evidence emerges.

It is unclear whether Hamilton's car issue would constitute enough evidence for a penalty not to be awarded - with Aston Martin no doubt likely to argue that his exceeding of track limits meant he stayed ahead of Alonso.

FIA release statement on Hamilton

Perhaps significantly, Hamilton and Ferrari have been summoned to the stewards rather than being immediately awarded a penalty for track limit violations.

In a statement outlining the summons, the FIA have referred to Hamilton's alleged track limits infraction as 'leaving the track without a justifiable reason'.

Article 33.3, the section of the FIA's Sporting Regulations in question, reads: "Drivers must make every reasonable effort to use the track at all times and may not leave the track without a justifiable reason.

"Drivers will be judged to have left the track if no part of the car remains in contact with it and, for the avoidance of doubt, any white lines defining the track edges are considered to be part of the track but the kerbs are not.

"Should a car leave the track the driver may re-join, however, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any lasting advantage.

"At the absolute discretion of the Race Director a driver may be given the opportunity to give back the whole of any advantage he gained by leaving the track."