Lewis Hamilton facing F1 penalty with Mercedes ‘concerned’ after Belgian GP nightmare

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Mercedes are worried that Lewis Hamilton will be forced to take a grid penalty at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix after colliding with Fernando Alonso on the very first lap in Belgium, according to reports. The 37-year-old had acres of space to work with as he tried to overtake Alonso around the outside at Les Combes but still managed to make contact with the Alpine driver, with the resulting damage forcing the Brit into an early retirement.

Hamilton was sent flying into the air before his Mercedes car slowed to a crawl as he attempted to limp back to the pits on the opening lap at Spa-Francorchamps to mark his first retirement of the year. The seven-time champion’s stricken vehicle has since been transported back to the team’s Brackley headquarters and the health of the power unit is ‘definitely a concern’ ahead of this weekend’s race in the Netherlands, according to Motorsport.com.

It is said that Hamilton may be forced to change his engine if it is too damaged to repair properly, which would see him pick up a grid drop penalty for exceeding his yearly allocation of components. He is currently on the usage limit with the MGU-K, turbo, MGU-H, control electronics and energy store, with any further changes of those parts set to trigger grid penalties.

His earlier power units are still believed to be in working order, but it remains to be seen whether the team will decide against reinstalling an old engine in favour of a brand new one ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix. The power that comes with a fresh engine will provide Hamilton with a much-needed boost at Monza in a fortnight’s time, where top speed often dictates the pecking order due to the long straights that make up the iconic circuit.

JUST IN: Lewis Hamilton bites back at Alonso over Belgian GP radio rant

Hamilton’s gearbox is also cracked as a result of his car’s hard landing at Spa, while the body is also set to undergo an inspection for additional damage over the coming days. A verdict will then be given on whether or not to change any components in preparation for Sunday’s race at Zandvoort, where Mercedes will be desperately hoping to bounce back with an improved showing.

It will also serve as an opportunity for Hamilton to redeem himself at the first time of asking, with the Stevenage-born driver accepting that he was at fault for his collision with Alonso in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

“Looking back at the footage, Fernando was in my blind spot and I thought I left more room than I did, so it was my fault and I paid the price,” said Hamilton.

“I’m just sorry for the team, we had a chance of P3 and P4 today. The car felt good on the laps to the grid, we’d got it into a good place and I’d made a good start.

“After three weeks away, I was looking forward to racing today so it’s frustrating, but it is what it is. Right now, my job is to focus on the next race, I need to recuperate and get back on the treadmill.”

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