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New Zealand police drop investigation of Hamilton motorbike incident

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Lewis Hamilton potentially came under the wrath of the Auckland, New Zealand police as law enforcement believed the Mercedes driver had broken the law when filming himself while riding a motorbike yesterday.

Hamilton posted a video to his Snapchat account allegedly showing him filming himself riding a Harley Davidson along a motorway in Auckland.

The 31-year-old was enjoying some time off with his entourage before heading to this weekend's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Local police investigated the videos but chose not to take any further action against the reigning World Champion after citing a lack of "sufficient evidence".

"Auckland City Police will be taking no further action in relation to recent media publicity about Lewis Hamilton and his motorcycle journey in Auckland," a police spokesperson said.

"The video footage available does not provide us with sufficient enough evidence that an offence has occurred."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.