Shanghai: An embarrassing blunder forced the Chinese Grand Prix to be shortened by two laps on Sunday after a steward mistakenly showed the chequered flag early to race winner Lewis Hamilton.
Race sources told AFP the “experienced” steward was distraught after unfurling the flag and showing it momentarily to Hamilton, before realising he was a lap too early. Under FIA rules, if the flag is shown early the race is deemed to have finished when the leading car last crossed the line, in this case after lap 54. The mishap was not announced until after the race, meaning the last two laps of the 56 were effectively null and void. (AFP)