Door "always open" for Hamilton to discuss 'victimisation' claim - FIA

FIA race director Michael Masi has told Lewis Hamilton his "door is always open" should he wish to discuss his recent claims of perceived victimisation.

Mercedes driver Hamilton said the 10-second penalty handed to him during the Russian Grand Prix for completing a practice starts in the wrong area was an example of the FIA "trying to stop me".

Asked if he had a direct response to the comments, Masi said: “No I don’t.

"From my perspective, it is very simple that if Lewis wants to raise something then, as I have said to him before, and have said to all of the drivers numerous times, the door is always open.

“I am more than happy to discuss anything, but I think from an FIA perspective, we are there, as a sporting regulator, to administer the regulations.

"We have the stewards, as an independent judiciary, to adjudicate those. There was an infringement and it doesn’t matter if it was Lewis Hamilton of any other one of the 19 drivers."

After initially adding two penalty points to Hamilton's licence, leaving him just two away from a race ban, the stewards reversed the decision in favour of a financial penalty for the team as the instruction over the practice starts had come from the pit wall rather than the six-time F1 champion acting of his own accord.

Asked whether there was potential foul play on the part of the FIA, Masi said: “If a breach has occurred of the regulations, they [the stewards] will consider it on its merits.

"Also, further to that, I would say adjudicate it equitably and fairly in the circumstances, taking all the key elements into account.”

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