David Coulthard has sent a message of support in Lewis Hamilton’s direction, saying that the seriousness of the Englishman’s road incident in Australia was exaggerated.
The ex-McLaren driver and now BBC pundit sympathised with Hamilton’s plight, implying that Hamilton’s alleged spinning of the rear wheels of his Mercedes road car was not as serious as has been made out.
“I know I’ll get accused of being irresponsible here, but I really don’t see the big deal about Lewis indulging in a little burnout for the fans,” Coulthard wrote in his column for the Daily Telegraph.
“In my view, the reaction to what was essentially a minor incident was completely over the top.
“I understand the road-safety issue, but Lewis is one of the best drivers on this planet. There is no one I would trust more to burn a bit of rubber and keep the car under perfect control.
“A minor slap on the wrist would have sufficed, although it would have been even more constructive to commit him to some sort of road safety project in Melbourne schools for next year. Impounding his car and releasing statements as to his poor character helped no one.”