STEWARDS have ruled that the crash that took Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg out of the Spanish Grand Prix was a racing incident.

No disciplinary action will be taken against the pair following their incredible collision just four corners into the race.

Immediately after the incident, the FIA Race Stewards confirmed that they would investigate the pair’s collision after the race, summoning both drivers for explanations.

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After Hamilton and Rosberg met with the stewards panel, consisting of former F1 racer Martin Donnelly, Radovan Novak and Tim Mayer, they ruled that no breach of the rules had taken place.

That is particularly fortunate for Hamilton, who would have been facing a grid penalty had he been given third reprimand for the 2016 season.

WHAT THE STEWARDS SAID

The Stewards, having received a report from the Race Director, heard from the drivers and team representatives, and examined video evidence, have considered the following matter and determine the following.

No. / Driver: 44 — Lewis Hamilton, 6 – Nico Rosberg

Competitor: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team

Time: 14:03

Session: Race

Facts: Cars 44 and 6 collided between turn 3 and 4.

Offence: Alleged incident as defined by Article 38.1 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations

Decision: No further action.

Reason: The incident concerned started when Car 6 dropped into an incorrect power mode, as set by the driver prior to the start. This created a significant power differential between Car 6 and Car 44 at the exit of Turn 3 coming onto the straight, resulting in as much as a 17kph speed difference between the two cars on the straight.

Car 6 moved to the right to defend his position, as is his right under Art 27.7 of the Sporting regulations. Simultaneously Car 44 as the significantly faster car with, at that time, apparent space on the inside, moved to make the pass.

Art 27.7 requires the leading driver to leave room, if there is a “significant portion” of the car attempting to pass alongside.

Car 44 had a portion of his front wing inside Car 6 small fractions of a second prior to Car 44 having to leave the right side of the track to avoid an initial collision, which may have led him to believe he had the right to space on the right.

Once on the grass on the side of the track Car 44 was no longer in control of the situation.

Having heard extensively from both drivers and from the team, the Stewards determined that Car 6 had the right to make the maneuver (sic) that he did and that Car 44’s attempt to overtake was reasonable, and that the convergence of events led neither driver to be wholly or predominantly at fault, and therefore take no further action.