Hamilton apologises after Massa clash
Lewis Hamilton rued his contact with Felipe Massa on the first lap of the Italian Grand Prix.
He apologised to his team after crashing out of the race on the first lap:
I made a good start, gained a position, got up to fourth, and, at that moment, perhaps I should have just stayed there for a while. But I put my car up the inside of Felipe into Turn Four, trying to get third, and that was probably a little bit too much.
I was trying to position the car in a certain way, I was too close to Felipe, and his left rear clipped my right front. The car was damaged after that, and there was nothing I could do; you try your best, but some things just don’t go your way.
Today was a shame, and I want to say sorry to the team. But the championship certainly isn’t over – although I have to admit that days like today don’t help. The good thing is that Jenson scored a nice lot of points for us.
Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton’s failure to finish means he lost the lead of the championship to Mark Webber. The Red Bull driver has a five-point advantage over the McLaren pilot.
2010 Italian Grand Prix
- Technical review: Italian Grand Prix
- Jamey Price watches the Italian Grand Prix at Monza
- Hamilton: “I could have done some passing”
- Sutil: “I was in the wrong place everywhere”
- Hülkenberg’s drive “his best to date”
- 2010 Italian Grand Prix – the complete F1 Fanatic race weekend review
- Who was the best driver of the Italian Grand Prix weekend? (Poll)
- Late scare with de la Rosa can’t keep Alonso from victory (Ferrari race review)
- Set-up gamble pays off for Button as Hamilton crashes (McLaren race review)
- Vettel recovers to surprise fourth after mid-race drama (Red Bull race review)
Carl said on 13th September 2010, 7:07
I think this might cost Lewis the WDC in the end. He had an easy 4th but gave it away. This was the one track McLaren needed to outscore RB by a big Margin. And he didnt. Sad day indeed
wasiF1 (@wasif1) said on 13th September 2010, 7:15
From now on all the tracks will favour Red Bull so I think this was one of the best opportunity for him to put up a strong result. Hamilton should have been a little more careful, he should have waited for the time to get pass Massa & then I think he could have also pass Button.
Oliver said on 13th September 2010, 7:58
If you watch the accident Massa allowed Alonso to change his line into the corner, had that not happened Hamilton would have been able to follow Alons through.
Todfod said on 13th September 2010, 9:58
Absolute rubbish. Take a better look
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMkpVBESfUQ
Alonso was ahead of Massa and had the inside line. There was no other way Massa could follow Alonso into that corner.
pSynrg said on 14th September 2010, 13:24
Oliver, I absolutely think the sun shines out of Lewis’s rear but I’m not going to let that blind me to the fact that he simply made a mistake here.
No one else to blame.
Damon said on 13th September 2010, 9:52
If you watch the replay Hamilton loses it under braking, but still he could have cut the chicane to try and avoid massa. He was unlucky though because it was only a soft impact but at the wrong angle. Wheels bang together all the time
Damon said on 13th September 2010, 22:20
They all make mistakes