How the Mercedes F1 pit call that angered Hamilton played out

Lewis Hamilton recovered from 11th on the grid to fifth in Formula 1's Turkish Grand Prix, but he was left frustrated after disagreeing with Mercedes over team radio regarding a late decision to pit.
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W12 makes a pit stop.
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W12 makes a pit stop.
© xpbimages.com

The seven-time world champion wanted to try and go to the end of the race without stopping for a fresh set of intermediate tyres, but his Mercedes team were at odds with Hamilton, believing he was at risk of losing his third place if he did not come in.

Hamilton’s frustration with Mercedes was clear during a heated exchange with race engineer Peter Bonnington in the closing stages.

“Box box, new inters are the way to go,” came the initial message from Bonnington on lap 42 of 58, to which Hamilton replied: “Why? I don’t think it is, man.”

Having initially fought against Mercedes’ instructions, Hamilton eventually pitted with eight laps to go.

In doing so, he surrendered his third place in the pits and dropped behind both the Red Bull of Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, much to Hamilton’s displeasure.

“F**k man, why did you give up third place?” Hamilton responded angrily, before going on to ask: “What position am I in man?”

When informed he was now fifth, Hamilton snapped back: "We shouldn’t have come in man. I told you!”

Mercedes hoped Hamilton would have the pace to reclaim the lost places on track, but rather than attack Leclerc and Perez’s, the last laps of the race instead turned into a defensive mission to fend off Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri with Hamilton running into problems getting up to speed on his new tyres.

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