In a recent interview, Lewis Hamilton expressed his disappointment about not taking the last pit stop, which cost him fifth place in the Miami Grand Prix. He called the call for the pit a gamble, and he certainly is not happy with the outcome. After a sixth-place finish, Hamilton continues “the bad luck” from last year.
In the formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, which took place on the 9th of April, former world champion Lewis was pushed to the back. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the trophy while the seven-time world champion lost his place to George Russell’s teammate. Hamilton owes his relegation to a pit stop offered by Mercedes, which he denied.
During the race, the British racer was asked whether he needed to stop to look at his tires by his crewmates. Hamilton looked uncertain about what to do as he did not want to lose his place to Russell. With the safety car still in, it seems he could have had a set of new tires without losing his place.
However, Russell was able to stop for fresh tires. As the new tires helped Russell propel, he was able to pass and finish three seconds before the former world champion.
When asked about the incident, Hamilton stated that he does not have all the information and does not know where everyone is or where they will come from when he is out there. The race is not as clear as viewers see on screen, and the racers have to make judgement calls based on what little they have.
He further elucidated that such situations in racing are similar to gambling and that he does not like that. That is also why he asked the crew to make the decision. While Hamilton lauded Russell’s lead, he also mentioned that they have been unfortunate with the safety car timing in this round.
Reporters also point out that Russel could not hold his lead in the initial stage of the race. As it went on, Russel changed to a hard tire while Hamilton kept to medium. Russell’s tire advantage was when they accelerated close to the finish line in the last round. Hamilton disappointedly said that strategy has not been kind to him this season.
He, however, took a sigh of relief in getting points for the team to bring it to a decent position on the table. In another safety car tragedy, Hamilton lost his championship in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He had similar experiences in Saudi Arabia and Australia as well.
Hamilton is one of the most celebrated Formula 1 racers of all time who has championships and the record for most wins. So, the fans are looking forward to witnessing his prancing drives once again.
