Lewis Hamilton has expressed frustration with his Ferrari team following the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he incurred a penalty and lost ground in the title race against Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. The race saw Lando Norris secure his first victory of the season for McLaren.
Hamilton finished fourth on the track at the Hungaroring but was classified fifth after receiving a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. This decision contributed to him dropping points in the championship standings.
Strategic Pit Stop Under Scrutiny
The penalty stemmed from a late pit stop under a virtual safety car, which provided Hamilton with fresh tyres but resulted in him losing track position to Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Antonelli. Hamilton was unable to regain these positions and the pit stop was also where he received the penalty. He questioned the strategic call made by his team.
Hamilton stated that he did not believe the stop should have been taken, noting that the call came just before the pit-lane entry, leaving him no time to debate. He indicated that he would not have stopped if it meant sacrificing track position, suggesting he might have held onto at least third place.
The Ferrari driver acknowledged that his tyres were fine in hindsight and that while he might have lost out to Verstappen, he felt he could have maintained third position, which would have been a better outcome. Instead, he lost a significant number of points.
This incident follows a series of penalties for Hamilton in recent races, including sanctions at Silverstone, Spa, and a three-place grid drop in Hungary for impeding during qualifying, in addition to the pit-lane speeding penalty during the race itself.
Championship Implications and Future Outlook
Hamilton now trails Antonelli by 50 points in the Formula One standings, an increase from the previous 45-point gap, as the sport enters its summer break. He views the break as a timely opportunity to reset and prepare for the second half of the season.
He expressed optimism for Ferrari’s prospects for the remainder of the season, while also admitting he needs to avoid further penalties. Hamilton said he would work hard to return stronger and ensure he does not give officials any reason to issue more sanctions.
Hamilton also reflected on the first half of the season, noting that despite being at a pace disadvantage on the straights, the team has performed well. He anticipates a stronger performance in the second half of the season, which he believes is typically a more successful period for him.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris, who secured his first win of the year, believes he is currently driving at his best, even surpassing his performance from his title-winning season. Norris is 91 points behind Antonelli in the championship with 12 races remaining. McLaren’s significant upgrades introduced in Hungary proved effective, contributing to their strong performance.
Norris highlighted the car’s strength and speed during the race, despite it being challenging to drive at times. He was confident in his ability to win and felt he was in a good flow, stating that when the car and his performance align, there is no stopping him. The Formula 1 season is set to resume with the Dutch Grand Prix from August 21-23.
Source: theguardian.com