On 18 December 2007, Hamilton was suspended from driving in France for one month. He had been caught speeding at on a French motorway. His Mercedes-Benz CLK was also impounded. Two days before the Australian Grand Prix, Victoria Police witnessed Hamilton "deliberately losing traction" in his silver Mercedes, and impounded the car for 48 hours. Hamilton immediately released a statement of apology for "driving in an over-exuberant manner". In May 2010, Hamilton was charged with intentionally losing control of a vehicle.