Hamilton received a combined 10-second sanction - made up of two separate five-second time penalties𝔍 - at last year’s Russian Grand Prix for carrying out pre-race practice starts i🌊n the wrong place in the pit lane.

The Mercedes driver went past the designated area of the 🦹pitlane t𓃲o perform his practice starts and instead carried them out on the right-hand side of the pit exit road.

Hamilton criticised the penalty and suggested he was being targeted by race officials, though FIA 🀅race director Michael Masi insisted the punishment was fair for a cleꦚar breach of the regulations.

The seven-time world champio🔴n originally received two penalty points but theseꦇ were later rescinded, with Mercedes instead being fined €25,000.

Ahead of this weekend’s ra✅ce at Sochi, the race directors’ pre-event notes featured new instructions on where drivers can perform their practice st🃏arts.

“Practice starts may only be carried out on the right-hand sid♚e immediately after the pit exi♐t lights and, for the avoidance of doubt, this includes any time the pit exit is open for the race,” the note read.

“Drivers must leave adequate room on🎀 their left for anothꦯer driver to pass.

“For reasons of safety and sporting ཧequity, cars may not stop in the fast lane at any time t🎃he pit exit is open without a justifiable reason.

“For reasons of safety and sporting equi🐓ty, at any time the pit exit is open and when practice starts are permitted to be carried out, any car who wishes to perform a practice start must form up in a line and leave in the order they got there unless another car is unduly delayed.”