The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Hamilton left fuming by Mercedes mistake
Another tactical error by team costs star driver victory
I am not going to lie, we’re going to have to work on all areas. We can’t afford to throw away points. LEWIS HAMILTON
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team has dismissed the need for change, despite costing its star driver victory in a dramatic Austrian Grand Prix.
Hamilton will head into his home race at Silverstone next Sunday one point behind Sebastian Vettel after the Brit failed to finish following a mechanical failure.
A scathing Hamilton had already accused Mercedes of costing him a straightforward win after – and not for the first time this season – it failed to react to a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period, caused by Valtteri Bottas’ retirement in the sister car and stop him for new tyres.
Hamilton dropped to fourth and following a series of furious exchanges with the Mercedes pit wall, he then ran out of power with only seven laps remaining.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen capitalised on Mercedes’ first double mechanical DNF since its return to the sport in 2010 to claim his fourth career win ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Vettel.
Hamilton’s retirement, his first in 33 races, ensured a 15-point championship swing in Vettel’s favour.
The Mercedes team’s fifth major problem in only nine rounds left Hamilton in no-man’s land.
“We don’t need to make changes,” Hamilton’s boss Toto Wolff said. “The situation is very complex this year. We are fighting six cars.
“We made a mistake. We were controlling the race, running one and two and suddenly Valtteri stopped. The VSC came out, we had half a lap to react and we didn’t. Fact. This is where we lost the race.”
James Vowles is the man in charge of strategy at Mercedes and has masterminded the tactics at Mercedes for all of their recent success. However, he has now overseen three mistakes in Australia, China and now Austria, which may end up costing Hamilton the title this year.
Vowles, 39, owned up to his error in front of the world. “Lewis, this is James,” he said over the radio. “We understand. It’s my mistake.”
A seething Hamilton said: “I want to say something, but just leave me to it.”
Moments later, Hamilton was back on the radio again. “I don’t get it,” he yelled. “I am not going to be able to pass these guys. We have thrown away the win.”
Vowles responded: “I have thrown away the win. We trust in you and believe in you. I’m sorry.”
“James is one of the best ever,” Wolff said in defence of his chief strategist. “It needed guts to come out and speak in front of millions of people and say it was my mistake.”
Wolff revealed that Hamilton still paid tribute to the team during their postrace debrief.
Hamilton, due to sign a new £40 million a-year extension with Mercedes, added: “I am not going to lie, we’re going to have to work on all areas. We can’t afford to throw away points. We have to take the rough with the smooth.”