Hamilton teases Vettel over Malaysia crash

Suzuka : Lewis Hamilton was the centre of attention in the pre-race drivers’ briefing at the Japanese Grand Prix after Romain Grosjean questioned the Brit’s seat-belt removal celebration.

Hamilton had celebrated an unexpected victory in Singapore by undoing his seat-belt and leaning out the cockpit to wave to supporters.

Grosjean raised concerns over whether drivers were allowed to perform such actions, citing Hamilton as an example, in a video published on the Formula One website on Sunday following the Brit’s Suzuka triumph.

A bemused Hamilton was left admitting he had removed seat-belts to celebrate wins on more than once occasion, before questioning Grosjean on why he needed clarification on the matter.

The world championship leader used the subject over the safety of seat-belts to tease Sebastian Vettel, who he leads by 59 points in the drivers’ standings.

After his title rival’s bizarre collision with Lance Stroll on the slow-down lap following the Malaysian Grand Prix, Hamilton insisted that driving so slowly there wasn’t a need to keep the seat-belts on ‘unless you’re Sebastian’ - drawing a ripple of laughter from all the other drivers in attendance.

Hamilton also used the briefing to question Whiting over the Ferrari star taking his steering wheel with him away from the Ferrari following the Stroll collision.

The race director stated that drivers are advised to leave steering wheels inside the car to aid marshalls in moving them, but with Vettel’s car was so badly damaged there was no need to in that instance.