Mercedes came within a whisker of losing a win that was in their hands in Monaco. Having put Lewis Hamilton on the medium tyres, the team principal, Toto Wolff, admitted the British driver had saved their race in bringing his car home and preventing Max Verstappen having a chance to pass. It was welcome for giving the race a tense climax that would otherwise have been lacking. Hamilton was vocal about his concerns throughout, which have been criticised but are the understandable complaining of a driver in a pressure situation he could do nothing about. But perhaps what was most telling was just what type of team Mercedes are, as illustrated afterwards. The chief strategist, James Vowles, said with wry humour he hoped for a hug from Hamilton after the race. Hamilton duly burst into the engineers’ room and proceeded to spray Vowles with champagne. “That’s for fucking giving me medium fucking tyres for 68 laps,” he said, laughing, before they did indeed hug. Mercedes is an exceptionally efficient machine but one clearly functioning with very human relationships.
Continue reading...Ferrari face reality while McLaren’s progress is starting to be noted | Giles Richards
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