HOW MERCEDES MAN OWNED UP...AND WHERE IT’S GONE WRONG THIS YEAR
Valtteri Bottas retires on lap 14 and in the virtual safety car period while his car is recovered, most of the field take the chance to pit. Mercedes leave Hamilton out, much to his surprise: LH: ‘Why didn’t we pit? Should we have stopped?’
Hamilton is later told he needs to find eight seconds after Mercedes fail to stop him.
LH: ‘Eight seconds!? How did we miss that? I’ve got no time left on these tyres.’
MERCEDES: ‘Lewis, this is James (Vowles, chief strategist). I understand. It’s my mistake.’
Vettel passes Hamilton.
HAMILTON: ‘I don’t get it. I am not going to be able to pass these guys. I have thrown away the win.’
MERCEDES: ‘Lewis, this is James. I have thrown away the win. We trust in you and believe in you. I am sorry.’
AUSTRALIA: Mercedes blamed a timing glitch for not telling Lewis Hamilton to open up a large enough lead over Sebastian Vettel to absorb a virtual safety car period. The miscalculation cost the Brit a likely victory as the German capitalised to record a shock win.
BAHRAIN: Hamilton was hampered at the next race by an unscheduled gearbox change that condemned him to start ninth through a grid penalty. He finished third but lost ground to Vettel in the standings. CHINA: Mercedes did not react when a late safety car was introduced. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, who did stop to be reshod, suddenly possessed the
extra pace to win. Hamilton finished fourth, but only after Verstappen crashed into Vettel.
CANADA: The team failed to introduce their scheduled engine upgrade. Nor did they take enough hypersoft tyres. Hamilton lacked power, had to stop early, and finished fifth. Vettel took the championship lead.
AUSTRIA: Mercedes kept Hamilton out when his rivals pitted under a virtual safety car. He was furious with his team even before his engine gave up on him and he had to retire. His lead of 14 points was overturned and Vettel moved ahead by a point.