In a statement issued more than two hours after the race, the stewards said that they had determined the pressure in the tyres concerned were at the minimum start pressure recommended by Pirelli -- when they were fitted to the car.
This fact and the team's adherence to safety procedures was sufficient evidence of Mercedes' good intent to sway the decision in their favour.
This, said members of rival teams, was enough to represent a clear breach of the sport's strict technical regulations and should have resulted in automatic exclusion.
But after more than two hours of deliberations, during which the stewards talked to the technical delegate and representatives of both Mercedes and Pirelli, they took into consideration that Mercedes' tyre warming blankets had been disconnected from their power source and that their tyres were "significantly below" the maximum permitted tyre blanket temperature when measured on the grid.
It ended by adding that the stewards recommended that the tyre manufacturer and the FIA hold further meetings to provide clear guidance to the teams on measurement protocols.
As nearest rival and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg retired with a blown engine with two laps to go, Hamilton took full advantage after leading from pole position to the chequered flag.
His points advantage, with seven 'flyaway' races remaining after the last European race of the season, makes him a clear favourite to defend his crown and claim his third world title.
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