Lewis Hamilton’s penultimate grand prix as a Mercedes driver was a depressing affair.
He requested to retire his automotive after falling to the again of the sector. Though he took the chequered flag he completed out of the factors in twelfth place.
All through the race Hamilton once more grappled with the steadiness of his W15 and was dismayed to learn the way a lot slower he was lapping than the leaders early on. However what actually did for his possibilities was a pair of penalties: One for leaping the beginning and one other for rushing within the pits.
Right here’s his perspective on how the Qatar Grand Prix unfolded, proven by a choice of important radio exchanges between him and race engineer Peter Bonnington.
Hamilton’s Qatar Grand Prix radio
“Sorry about that, guys”
“Very excessive tempo”
“The place is a second then, mate?”
“Tyres nonetheless holding on”
“The double yellow retains flashing up”
“Simply belief me to have this luck”
“Am I useless final now, yeah?”
“I don’t know what’s mistaken with this automotive”
“We will now retire the automotive”
“Sorry about that, guys”
Hamilton’s race obtained off to a nasty begin instantly as he started to creep away from the road earlier than the 5 lights have been extinguished. He appeared to grasp instantly {that a} penalty was inevitable.
| Lap: 1/57 HAM: 2’04.279 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Sorry about that, guys. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | No drawback, Lewis. Made an honest restoration. P9 for the time being. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 4/57 HAM: 2’19.017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Security Automobile can be on this lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Very excessive tempo”
Because the race restarted for the primary time, Fernando Alonso had a snap of oversteer exiting the final nook and Hamilton took eighth place off him. Because the race settled down, Hamilton was stunned how arduous these forward have been pushing.
| Lap: 5/57 HAM: 1’29.473 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Good work, Lewis. You’ve obtained Tsunoda automotive behind. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 9/57 HAM: 1’26.983 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Very excessive tempo. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 11/57 HAM: 1’26.816 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | The place am I shedding? Can’t get shut. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | They discuss over one another Principal losses flip 13. |
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| Bonnington | So major loss to Perez 13, 14. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 12/57 HAM: 1’26.532 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Hole 1.0 forward, 5.9 behind. George pushing lots tougher by the excessive pace. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | I’ve obtained graining | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 13/57 HAM: 1’26.514 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Can’t flip the automotive. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Okay, copy. Suggest EB if you happen to want it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 14/57 HAM: 1’26.558 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Perez 26.6. Principal losses flip 10, flip 16. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“The place is a second then, mate?”
Hamilton didn’t appear remotely stunned by his penalty when it was introduced, saying nothing on his radio in response to the affirmation from his workforce.
Nevertheless he was dismayed to listen to simply how a lot faster the vehicles on the entrance of the sector have been. Race engineer Peter Bonnington confirmed they meant so as to add three turns of entrance wing angle at his coming pit cease to counteract the understeer he was experiencing.
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| Lap: 15/57 HAM: 1’26.800 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Lewis we’ve got a five-second penalty for a false begin. Hole behind 8.3 to Magnussen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | And Perez 26.5, loss flip 15, tenth and a half. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 16/57 HAM: 1’26.585 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | How gradual are we in comparison with the others? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So entrance runners are mid-25s. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 17/57 HAM: 1’26.276 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Yeah I’ve obtained large understeer, mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So we’re pondering plus three on the cease. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Mid-25s? A second? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Yeah affirm Lewis, yeah, we’re simply caught in Perez’s soiled air. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 18/57 HAM: 1’26.470 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | The place is a second then, mate? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So to the entrance, major losses turns one, 4, 5 and 10. To Perez it was 13, 14. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 21/57 HAM: 1’26.026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So to Perez it’s exit flip 4 after which 13, 14, 15. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 23/57 HAM: 1’25.618 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | How far are we off the front-runners? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Is the automotive damaged, or… this automotive’s not turning. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Tyres nonetheless holding on”
Hamilton’s workforce mate George Russell was one of many first drivers to pit. Mercedes initially deliberate to carry Hamilton in a lap forward of his goal, however quickly revised that, telling him he would keep out an additional 4 laps. Hamilton confirmed his tyres seemed to be holding up properly.
| Lap: 24/57 HAM: 1’25.734 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | We’re simply under-balanced, Lewis, simply under-balanced. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So George has simply pitted, exiting pit lane now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | And we’re going to be goal minus one, goal minus one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 27/57 HAM: 1’25.227 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | The automotive’s slowly starting to show, however not a lot. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Copy, Lewis, yep, beginning to see that now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 28/57 HAM: 1’26.598 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | We’re going to be goal plus 4, now, goal plus 4. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Yeah tyres nonetheless holding on. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“The double yellow retains flashing up”
On lap 30 race management noticed a wing mirror on the straight approaching flip one. Yellow flags have been proven and for some time they repeatedly appeared and disappeared from the timing display screen. Finally the observe was declared clear though the particles had not been eliminated.
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| Lap: 30/57 HAM: 1’25.396 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Okay, so that you’re in your Security Automobile window. The double yellow retains flashing up. So the double yellow retains flashing up on major straight. So simply search for the boards. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Appears like there’s a wing mirror in the course of the observe round pit exit. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 31/57 HAM: 1’25.272 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | What’s our tempo like? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Perez 25.4, Verstappen main 25.1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 32/57 HAM: 1’25.253 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Areas shedding, mate? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | To Perez it’s flip 15. To Verstappen it’s primarily flip one mid-speed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Simply belief me to have this luck”
Valtteri Bottas struck the mirror and smashed it, scattering extra particles throughout the observe. Hamilton picked up a puncture, although he reported it earlier than the Sauber hit the mirror.
Hamilton limped into the pits the place he had a penalty to serve. However as he did so he picked up one other penalty – he exceeded the pit lane pace restrict by 12.5kph. By this time the Security Automobile had been deployed once more.
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| Lap: 34/57 HAM: 2’16.781 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Shit, man. I obtained a puncture. Left-front. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Okay, copy, copy. Let’s go diff mid 12. So we’re prepared for you. 11 seconds behind to Gasly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Simply belief me to have this luck, man. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Yeah, affirm, Lewis. 4 seconds behind to Gasly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Automobiles move Hamilton as he drives slowly to the pits Going to have George behind, 4 seconds, group of three. So that you’ve obtained George, Alonso, Zhou. Sainz additionally has a puncture. So 12 seconds behind now. Six seconds to Tsunoda behind. So that you’ve obtained Tsunoda, Albon… Tsunoda automotive behind, then Albon. Lawson, then Magnussen. |
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| Lap: 35/57 HAM: 2’57.756 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Hamilton arrives on the pits This can be a 5 second penalty. So we’re now beneath Security Automobile. |
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“Am I useless final now, yeah?”
Having fallen a lap behind beneath the Security Automobile, Hamilton was anxious that he ought to get the possibility to un-lap himself and rejoin the rear of the queue earlier than the restart. He made it with solely seconds to spare.
Quickly after the race restarted it was neutralised as soon as extra, this time attributable to Sergio Perez spinning to a cease.
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| Hamilton | Am I a lap down now? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Site visitors on exit. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | We’re go strat mode one. Affirm, Lewis, Verstappen forward race chief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Am I useless final now, yeah? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Damaging. We’re at present displaying P16, out of 17 runners although. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Is that this Security automotive going to allow us to previous, or…? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | It must wait till the pack has shaped. However that must be the case. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 36/57 HAM: 2’49.975 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | I’m assuming that after they allow us to move they’re not going to allow us to catch up, proper? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Not at all times, no. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | The Security Automobile is so gradual. It’s harmful for us all on these chilly tyres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Okay copy Lewis, we’ll get onto it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 37/57 HAM: 2’00.881 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Are they going to allow us to by or not? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Simply as you say that we’re now allowed to overhaul. Hamilton passes the Security Automobile and begins catching the tail of the queue |
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| Lap: 38/57 HAM: 1’26.953 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | No level us being within the race in the event that they don’t… the Security Automobile doesn’t do its job. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 39/57 HAM: 1’31.819 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Hamilton accelerates out of flip 10 The place are they? |
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| Bonnington | In order that they’re crossing the start-finish line now. Lawson’s simply crossed the start-finish line and Security Automobile can be on this lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So that you’ve obtained 25 seconds to Lawson, now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 40/57 HAM: 1’54.351 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Hamilton catches the rear of the queue seconds earlier than the race restarts So Lawson… So go strat mode 5. Hamilton instantly passes Lawson at flip one |
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| Bonnington | So VSC, VSC hold delta constructive. Obtained Perez stopped between turns 15, 16, left-hand aspect. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“I don’t know what’s mistaken with this automotive”
Hamilton remained deeply annoyed by his automotive’s dealing with.
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| Lap: 41/57 HAM: 2’14.586 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Yeah I don’t know what’s mistaken with this automotive, mate. It’s bouncing and [unclear]. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So it’s now a Security Automobile. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Are tyres chilly? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Er, no, they’re as much as temp. Now we’ve obtained Hulkenmberg who’s off-track at flip 10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | What place am I in? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | At present P12. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Ah this automotive’s tousled, mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 42/57 HAM: 2’15.024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Something extra I can do with diff? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | We’re simply taking a look. Obtained quite a lot of information to work with. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Is Mike there? How’s this diff setting, mate? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Yeah we’re simply trying by it, Lewis. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So Verstappen has management, go strat mode 5. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 43/57 HAM: 1’29.654 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Security Automobile flip 16… Security Automobile’s in The race restarts |
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| Lap: 46/57 HAM: 1’24.726 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | And we must always take into consideration brake effectivity flip 4, six and 7. George is producing a bit extra floor temp. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“We will now retire the automotive”
With 10 laps to go, Hamilton was knowledgeable he had a drive-through penalty for his pit lane rushing infringement. He was desperate to retire his automotive.
Bonnington identified they wanted to serve the penalty earlier than retiring, in any other case the stewards may hand him a penalty for the next race. Hamilton duly drove the pits to serve the penalty.
By now he actually was final. Nevertheless Hamilton determined to finish the small variety of remaining laps and handed the struggling, soft-shod RB drivers to complete twelfth. He had nothing to say on his radio on the finish, nevertheless.
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| Lap: 47/57 HAM: 1’29.954 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Okay Lewis we’ve obtained a drive-through penalty for rushing within the pit lane. Appears such as you forgot to press the button on that first time behind the Security Automobile. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Ah, retire the automotive. In subsequent messages, that are damaged up by static, Hamilton says he needs to park the automotive however Bonnington persuades him to proceed |
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| Lap: 48/57 HAM: 1’42.410 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | We solely must do yet one more lap, however we are going to drive by the pit lane. So by the pit lane with pit limiter. Hamilton drives by the pits |
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| Bonnington | So all clear. Chassis default 47. And we are able to now retire the automotive. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 49/57 HAM: 1’25.096 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | What place? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Obtained 9 seconds forward to Norris. He’s needed to do a 10-second stop-go. The remainder of the sector are 15 seconds up the highway. 9 laps remaining. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 51/57 HAM: 1’24.462 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So Norris doing 24.7. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 53/57 HAM: 1’24.044 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | And we’ve obtained each RBs doing 27.7. That’s Lawson forward on the delicate tyre. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 55/57 HAM: 1’24.250 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Hamilton passes Tsunoda Two extra laps. |
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| Chequered flag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Okay Lewis that’s P12. We’ll name {that a} day to overlook. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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