‘I couldn’t care less about Monaco’
LEWIS Hamilton has insisted he has no regrets over his role in the blunder which cost him the Monaco Grand Prix and that he has full trust in Mercedes’ strategy calls.
Hamilton was repeatedly asked about the Monte Carlo debacle in the drivers’ press conference, but did his best to kick the subject into touch.
He did not travel to the team’s factory after the last race, instead he spent the last 10 days in California before today’s Canadian Grand Prix.
The reigning champion said: “I don’t look back. I am looking forward. Honestly, I haven’t thought about the last race for a long time. I have been thinking about the next race.
“There are going to be a lot of questions about Monaco. I am not going back there. I’ve moved on. I couldn’t care less about it. I am focused on this weekend.”
One brave journalist put it to Hamilton that he might be calmer now over the team radio, having been the originator of the idea that they stop under the safety car in Monaco. He replied: “Okey dokey.” The two-time champ went on to defend his approach and reaffirm his trust in team Mercedes.
“I am happy with how I drove the race. [Confidence is] same as always, 100%. I have confidence in the team. We have had incredible success together and one race doesn’t dent the strong foundations we have. Things are good with the team,” he said.
Given how much criticism Mercedes have faced since Monte Carlo, Hamilton’s tone was understandable. Whatever he feels, it does not make sense to accuse the team or display anything other than a united front.
The 30-year-old Briton may have moved on but his claim that he “couldn’t care less about it” prompted some incredulity.
Mercedes have reassessed how they communicate on the pit wall as well as the strategy software they use, having blamed the error on “incorrect data”. However, today they face a renewed challenge from Ferrari, so their technical leadership will be tightly looked at.
If Hamilton was in the mood for dampening down the fallout from Monaco, Max Verstappen was not. The 17-year-old caused the whole affair by crashing into Romain Grosjean, bringing out the safety car.
The young Toro Rosso driver faced stern criticism from Felipe Massa, now with Williams, after the race, but hit back as the two appeared alongside each other this week.
Unruffled by a verbal assault from Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, Sebastian Vettel has said he is expecting an improved performance from Ferrari.
The four-time world champ brushed aside veiled criticism of his promotion of Formula One by Ecclestone, saying he was not bothered. “So far, with Ferrari, and for me, it has been better than what anyone expected,” he said this week. — ©