© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Lewis Hamilton dismisses any suggestion that his crash into the pit entry wall has anything to do with pressure from his championship fight with Max Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton has made one of his rare mistakes today in Russian Grand Prix Qualifying. Upon entering the pitlane, he clipped the pit entry wall and damaged his front wing.
While he admits it was his mistake, he dismisses any suggestion that the pressure of the championship fight got to him.
“It’s really nothing to do with pressure, honestly,” the Briton said afterwards.
“It really wasn’t a pressure scenario. It’s literally just [that] mistakes do happen.”
Since the track was drying Lewis says he “knew that I was going to need as much time on track as possible”, so he entered the pitlane a bit faster than usual.
“In the previous times coming in the pitlane, you could take it really quite slowly. The track was drying and the grip was quite good.
“I came in and just took it a little bit quicker than normal and just lost the back end and slid into the wall.
If you like SilverArrows.Net, consider supporting us by buying us a coffee!
“Yes, of course, embarrassing, [I’m] disappointed in myself that I’d had it, but shit happens. We all make mistakes, and of course it’s not what you would expect a world champion to do.”
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff also says he doesn’t believe the mistake has anything to do with pressure.
“I think it wasn’t the pressure today, because it was clear that Max was starting from the back,” the Austrian said.
“Why that happened, I can’t say. I don’t think it’s the pressure of the championship. And he wasn’t the only one to whom that happened.”
Lewis says he got a call from his father Anthony after the incident, and now he is 100% focused on tomorrow’s race.
“The problem when you have the success that I have, anything but perfection feels like a long way off. I’m only human. My dad called me afterwards, and we just talked about it, and you just move on.
“Tomorrow, I get my racing head back on and back focused, and hopefully bring you a good race.”
