Saudi Grand Prix marshal removed after anti-Hamilton tweet

Formula One F1 – Saudi Arabia Grand Prix – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – March 25, 2022 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton during practice REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

JEDDAH, March 26 (Reuters) – A Saudi Arabian Grand Prix marshal has been removed after saying on Twitter he hoped seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton suffered an accident similar to Romain Grosjean’s fiery crash in Bahrain in 2020.

A spokesman for Formula One’s governing body said the unnamed marshal, writing in Arabic, would play no further part in the race weekend in Jeddah.

The marshal apologised in a subsequent tweet to the Saudi motorsport and motorcycle federation and to Mercedes driver Hamilton, who said on Friday he wanted to see more change in the kingdom. read more

Then-Haas driver Grosjean suffered burns to his hand but miraculously jumped out of his burning car in the Bahrain crash that marked the end of his Formula One career. The Frenchman now races in the U.S.-IndyCar series.

Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Clare Fallon

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