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Brundle: It's curious that Hamilton escaped Abu Dhabi penalty

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Martin Brundle believes that it is "curious" that Lewis Hamilton managed to escape a penalty during the opening laps of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver was battling with Carlos Sainz during the opening laps of the race, when he had to take the escape road at Turn 6 and bounce over the sausage kerbs.

Hamilton rejoined and kept the position, however in the subsequent laps he was told to give the place back to Sainz, suggesting race control had advised the decision.

"Sainz was correctly exonerated after being investigated for forcing Hamilton off, who was then asked to hand the place back to Sainz which he duly did before quickly re-passing him," explained Brundle in his column for Sky Sports.

"Then It was announced by race control that there would be no further action for gaining an advantage off track and curiously Hamilton was exonerated too."

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Brundle: Mercedes' only retirement of 2022 'impressive'

While there isn't a direct link to Hamilton's excursion over the sausage kerbs and his retirement from the race, Brundle noted that the reliability of Mercedes has been "impressive" given that it was the team's only retirement of 2022.

"The only harm done in all of that was damage to the underneath of Hamilton's Mercedes which was partially helped at his first and only stop for hard compound tyres on lap 18 when they could adjust his front wing to help the aero balance.

"Then Hamilton was very fast until he suffered Mercedes first and only mechanical retirement of this 22 GP and three Sprint race season. Impressive."

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