Formula One:Lewis Hamilton has avoided a FIA disrepute charge after apologising for his post-race comments in Monaco.
Hamilton, who trails championship leader Sebastian Vettel by 58 points, was left fuming after he was twice hit with penalties for causing collisions with Felipe Massa and Pastor Maldonado.
Following the race Hamilton had said: "It's an absolute frickin' joke. I've been to see the stewards five times out of six this season."
Having been asked to explain why, Hamilton made a remarkable accusation by adding: "Maybe it's because I'm black."
The 25-year-old immediately made light of the remark, claiming: "That's what Ali G says", referring to the fictional television character made famous by Sasha Baron Cohen.
Hamilton, though, was forced to explain his comments to a four-man panel of stewards.
"They said at the end that they would make sure other people in the FIA understand," said Hamilton, who eventually finished sixth.
"They said that for anybody who has heard it and misunderstood, that they'll clarify it with them and it won't go any further than the meeting room.
"But what I said was a bit of a joke, which wasn't funny at the time.
"I made them aware that when emotions are high, and it's very intense at the end of those kind of races, you don't always say the right thing, and the joke didn't come at the most appropriate time.
"So I went there, made that clear to them, we've made our peace.
"They accepted my explanation, they understood. They said 'We've all competed before and we understand the passion, where you are coming from', and we all shook hands afterwards.
"The weekend was tough, I feel like I've had everything thrown at me, and I've managed to catch it and deal with it the best I could."