Scary cats at Mercedes? Hamilton angry about strategy

“I am someone who takes risks. That's why I wanted to risk it," emphasized Hamilton, who, lying in third place in the final phase of the race on Sunday, complied with the command post's instructions and came into the pits in the rain for the only tire change. “My gut feeling was that I should have stayed outside,” he complained. “So I’m frustrated that I didn’t follow my instincts.”

Degrading rubbers and the Concerned about a failure, the strategists took action forced. However, Hamilton wanted to drive through, fifth place in the end put him six points behind the new championship leader Verstappen. “Lewis Hamilton lost the championship lead after his Mercedes team behaved like scaredy cats and called him to a pointless pit stop,” criticized the Daily Mail in England. “You haven’t gained anything by risking a tire blowout.” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff counters: “With the risk of having a tire blowout and thus losing ten points, you won’t gain anything in the end,” said team boss Toto Wolff about the danger of a zero-stop race. A failure by Hamilton would have been “obviously catastrophic”. Red Bull trembles before Mercedes top speed In return, the command post also accepts a star frothing over the radio. “We have thick skin and understand that the driver is frustrated with the situation. But in retrospect he will understand it,” said Wolff, who, however, described an early stop by the seven-time world champion as probably the “right choice”. Max Verstappen was able to leave Istanbul satisfied. © APA/afp / UMIT BEKTAS

And how does Hamilton feel in the title fight? “I don’t feel any pressure, I’m relaxed,” said the 36-year-old. “I just don’t like losing points.” Verstappen also assures that he doesn’t feel too much tension in the hunt for his first title. Hopefully it will be enough for the World Cup in the end. If not: “I don’t sleep any less.”

Red Bull is warned after the Silver Arrows' recent performances. “What worries us is Mercedes' incredible top speed on the straights, it's been like this since Silverstone and seems to be getting worse,” warned Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko. “I don’t know if our people have an antidote.”

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

Scary cats at Mercedes? Hamilton angry about strategy

A controversial Mercedes strategy in Istanbul angers Lewis Hamilton. Could this cost him the title? Max Verstappen leaves Turkey as World Cup leader again. But Red Bull is having second thoughts. Is it just nerves that decide in the final spurt of the World Cup?

Suggestions

Comments (0)