Breaking news
Formula 1 Monaco GP
Mercedes: Hamilton "saved" us after wrong tyre call
Mercedes says Lewis Hamilton "saved" the team at the Monaco Grand Prix after admitting it made a mistake in switching to mediums during the early safety car period.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: May 26, 2019, 7:01 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The German car manufacturer went it alone in moving on to the medium compound during the early safety car that was called out to clear debris left on the track from Charles Leclerc's flailing tyre.
Read Also:
It decided against switching to hards as the pursuing Red Bull and Ferrari teams did because it was concerned that a slow warm-up could leave it vulnerable.
But with Hamilton suffering graining of his fronts a few laps into his stint, it meant the reigning world champion had to manage his pace a lot and back up the cars behind him in a bid to ensure he could make it to the finish.
Asked about the move to mediums, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted Mercedes got it wrong but was clear how much Hamilton's driving had bailed the team out.
"I've just had a chat with [strategist] James [Vowles] and obviously it was the wrong call," said Wolff.
"We thought the tyre would make it to the end but it didn't. He saved us - his driving saved us. It's something which we really need to analyse."
When Mercedes made the switch, it felt that it would not be too hard to get to the finish, but the graining that soon emerged on Hamilton's front soon changed the mood in the pits.
"What was calculated was that the medium would make it, if we were to change on lap 15 or 16, with the right management," explained Wolff.
"So being in the lead that was a pretty straight strategy. It didn't even seem like a huge stretch, but we realised 20 laps into the race that on the left front some graining appeared and he started to complain about it, the understeer that resulted from the graining. It was clear that it would get very, very difficult to make it to the end.
"So we had quite some discussions about the tyre lasting another 40 laps, and I was reminded that it was only 20 laps of a normal circuit so calm down a bit!
"But everybody knew that it was going to be a huge stretch and even probably 20 laps from the end he had 0% rubber left on the tyre with massive understeer on the slow speed. You could see around Loews the car wouldn't turn any more."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Perez "very lucky" to avoid hitting Monaco marshals
Next article Verstappen was "really reserved" in Hamilton battle
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jonathan Noble
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
More from
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton "praying" for Ferrari power unit after Mexico FP2 failure
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
9 h
Lewis Hamilton "praying" for Ferrari power unit after Mexico FP2 failure
Lewis Hamilton on why he is “built differently” to stay in F1 for the “foreseeable future”
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Lewis Hamilton on why he is “built differently” to stay in F1 for the “foreseeable future”
More from
Mercedes
Mercedes out of performance window at Mexico GP - George Russell
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
4 h
Mercedes out of performance window at Mexico GP - George Russell
Why “ignorance is a superpower” for Kimi Antonelli, according to Daniel Ricciardo
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Why “ignorance is a superpower” for Kimi Antonelli, according to Daniel Ricciardo
Latest news
Denny Hamlin's slim championship odds get boost with Martinsville pole
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
20 min
Denny Hamlin's slim championship odds get boost with Martinsville pole
NASCAR Cup Martinsville starting lineup: Denny Hamlin rockets to pole
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
1 h
NASCAR Cup Martinsville starting lineup: Denny Hamlin rockets to pole
Did Kyle Larson win the NASCAR Cup or has Denny Hamlin lost it?
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
1 h
Did Kyle Larson win the NASCAR Cup or has Denny Hamlin lost it?
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe