Wednesday 4 November 2015

Lewis Hamilton disagrees with Mercedes' Mexican GP pit call

Lewis Hamilton uses a mobile phone
Lewis Hamilton said he had faith in his Mercedes team despite admitting that he did not agree with their strategy in the Mexican Grand Prix.
The world champion was second to team-mate Nico Rosberg after disputing a decision to stop for fresh tyres, feeling it denied him a chance to win.
Hamilton said: "I didn't agree with the decision but the team make decisions and I abide by them most of the time.
"We'll have a chat when I get back. I have full confidence in those guys."
Hamilton's race engineer Peter Bonnington told Hamilton over the radio that the decision to make an extra pit stop was made on "safety" grounds because of tyre wear.
But Hamilton said: "There was no risk, there was nothing for me to lose. We have won the constructors' championship, the team have won, so let me take a risk, let's go for it. But we did what we did and we still got the one-two."
Hamilton had trailed Rosberg for much of the race, unable to get close enough to try a passing move.
He questioned the decision to go into the pits because staying out would have meant he retained the lead, with Rosberg needing to close an 18-second gap in 24 laps to catch and then overtake him to win the race.
Lewis Hamilton
Victory would have kept alive Hamilton's chance of matching the record for the most single season wins of 13
The team made the call because it is standard practice to do so in the circumstances.
The two Mercedes drivers had enough time to stop for fresh tyres and rejoin still in first and second places, thus reducing the risk if there was a late-race safety car - as indeed there was six laps after Rosberg's stop when Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel crashed.
Team boss Toto Wolff said: "We had the margin for a safety stop and Lewis's tyres were more marginal than Nico's so we decided to do those.
"It was clear he was questioning it because he saw an advantage. If he didn't do that, he wouldn't be a racing driver.
"Finally it is clear the team knows what is happening out there on track and everything is cool."
Wolff added: "We would not have risked a team result."

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