LEWIS PLEADS FIFTH IN SPAIN
LEWIS HAMILTON admits a rotten opening lap in Barcelona had him ready to throw in the towel.
But the seven-time world champion reckons a stubborn fifth-place finish can serve as a platform for the summer.
The Mercedes driver considered retiring from the Spanish Grand Prix, won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, after finding himself second last.
Hamilton was forced into the pits after a first lap tangle with Kevin Magnussen, which saw the Haas driver punted into the gravel.
Trailing around at the back, Hamilton radioed in to suggest calling it a day and said: “I would save this engine if I was you.”
And later he had to hand fourth to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as his Mercedes threatened to succumb to a water leak.
But he leaves with renewed confidence after fighting through for a respectable finish.
Hamilton said: “It’s a horrible feeling being that far behind. So to be fighting for fourth, I was so happy. I’m gutted to lose the place to Sainz. If I hadn’t had that issue at the start, who knows where we’d have been. It’s great we had similar pace to the front runners.”
A superb display from George Russell, which earned him third and saw him briefly head the field, suggests Mercedes are on the right track.
If Ferrari continue to suffer the engine issues that forced Charles Leclerc to retire, robbing him of certain victory at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, it will help.
Catching Red Bull is another story with only strategy decisions and team orders robbing Sergio Perez of a chance to fight his team-mate for the win, the Mexican settling for second.