Lewis Hamilton Fined For Driving Stunts
Source BBC, 24th August 2010
Hamilton, who wasn't in court, pleaded guilty to improper use of a motor vehicle. He was fined A$500 (£288) for performing car stunts for racing fans outside Melbourne's motor racing circuit.
Hamilton was caught by police executing "burnout" and "fishtail" tricks in a borrowed Mercedes two days before the Australian Grand Prix in March.
Lawyer Sandip Mukerjea said Hamilton had publicly apologised over the incident, and suffered "embarrassment, humiliation and distress" following the subsequent media coverage. Hamilton had written two letters to the court to explain why he could not be present. He is due to drive in this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.
Magistrate Clive Alsop said Hamilton was a role model for young people, and that he had a responsibility to set a good example. "This is about somebody in a responsible position behaving like a hoon" said Mr Alsop.He added that the conviction would not be recorded as it was the first offence of its kind by Hamilton.
The incident in Melbourne took place on Friday, 26 March, after practice for this year's Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton was driving away from the racing circuit in a borrowed Mercedes-Benz car, when he was arrested after a police officer saw him deliberately spinning his wheels. The car was impounded, and Hamilton was charged.
Hamilton said following the incident that he had been "over-exuberant". "What I did was silly, and I want to apologise for it," he added. Hamilton subsequently finished sixth in the Australian Grand Prix. He currently sits second in the Formula 1 drivers' championship, four points behind the leader Mark Webber.
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