F1 rule stopped Lewis Hamilton being helped out of Mercedes despite obvious back agony

Lewis Hamilton risked incurring the wrath of Formula 1 stewards if he accepted help getting out of his Mercedes at the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – despite the agony he was in.

The seven-time world champion's spine had taken a beating all weekend as the low-ride Mercedes repeatedly smashed into the floor as the car suffered from the porpoising effect. It was particularly bad in Baku as the street circuit is more bumpy than many other venues.

After practice on Friday he complained that he felt "sore", before later revealing that he had needed physiotherapy and acupuncture as his back was in "a real mess". The race was the worst part, though, as 51 continuous laps had the Briton complaining that the pain was "killing" him.

He raced through the pain to finish fourth, an impressive result considering his discomfort and the car's performance struggles. But Hamilton clearly paid the price and truly felt the effects of all that bouncing once the race adrenaline had worn off.

After stopping his car in Parc Ferme, Sky Sports cameras captured live the struggle he had getting out of his Mercedes . When he eventually clambered out of the cockpit, he sat on the side of the car's halo and held his back, making little attempt to mask his discomfort.

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