Having previously said he didn't think too much of Max Verstappen's move on lap 48 of the Brazilian GP, Lewis Hamilton now admits to changing his mind.

Speaking in the moments after last week's race, when asked about the controversial incident on the 48th lap, Hamilton didn't appear too concerned.

"In the heat of the moment, it doesn't... I don't really know," he said. "I think I was ahead initially, and I think he held his ground and we both ran out of road.

"Well, I think he was running out of road," he continued, "so I obviously had to avoid to go out of road - but I mean, I didn't think too much of it and obviously I'll have to watch the replay, but it's hard battling and wouldn't expect anything less really. We didn't touch wheels, which is good."

A week later, as his team pushes for the incident to be reviewed, the seven-time world champion appears to have had a change of heart.

"I think the reason at the time I would say is that's the mentality you have to take," he told reporters in Qatar today, in reference to his previous comment on the incident.

"If you sit in the car at the moment and complain it will only hold you back," he continued, "so in the moment I just had to keep moving forwards... also it's difficult to judge on something that you've not seen all the angles.

"I've re-looked at it and I have a different viewpoint naturally now," he admitted, "but I'm just putting all my energy into setting up the car and making sure that I'm in the right headspace this weekend, so I've not really given anything to it."

Asked to give his opinion of the incident now that he's seen the evidence he was giving little away.

"Honestly, it's not something I want to dive too much more into," he said; "I've not looked at all... I've seen the onboard footage for example that came out, but as I said last race I was just trying to focus on the fact that we did something that was quite remarkable, so unexpected, so I'm trying not to focus on any negatives.

"The team, I know are in discussion at this point, so I'll leave them to it."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Editor, 19/11/2021 9:56

"@ FQITW

Is this what we all want?

No, but it's what "social media and the corporate brigades" want. They want it clean and wholesome... woke even.

A few years back Niki Lauda told me that families sitting watching F1 on TV want excitement, but they don't want the chance of Grannie seeing somebody get hurt".

At present, everything that is happening in F1 appears to be playing up to the cameras... and let's not forget, F1 is owned by a media company."

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2. Posted by FQITW, 19/11/2021 9:48

"Bearing in mind the (ever entertaining) current PitPass newsletter outlining the need to keep everybody 'excited 24/7' in case of momentary boredom setting in and all this fuss may I refer everyone to two points.

First.
Mario Andretti once famously replied to a journalist who was 'horrified' over a racing scrap between two drivers after a race which had just taken place, (can't remember the race or drivers I'm afraid)
that it was, Quote: 'Just two young lions clawing at each other'.
End of story and why all the fuss?

Second
We all eulogise over the titanic Arnoux /Villeneuve sort out in France all those years ago as well we should. Yes they were off the road more often than not and rubbing wheels. In other words a proper 'Wheel Tappers and Shunters club' (for all those old enough to remember..) episode.

What's different now with Max & Lewis? Here are the two best drivers at the very top of their game getting stuck in.
Good luck to them I say, isn't that what we all want?
Or should they drive around one handed with the rule book in the other or worse scrolling through it on their phones?

These guys don't just do hard racing when they want to or feel like it,they have learnt to race in karts where most racing is no holds barred and this trait continues throughout their rise up the racing ladder from F4 upwards until the brick wall of F1 where suddenly they are frightened to move or put a foot wrong fearing the righteous indignation of social media and the corporate brigades.

Is this what we all want?"

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3. Posted by RPrior, 19/11/2021 9:20

"F1 is the best of the best racing in the best of the best cars.

Wheel to Wheel racing skills are mandatory for every driver.

Crashstappen does NOT possess Wheel to Wheel racing skills

I first drove to a British Grand Prix in 1964 - when F1 was about FAIR racing and introduction of NEW Technology that the Global Auto Industry took on board.

NOW - Too much emphasis on "the SHOW"

NOT MY F1"

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4. Posted by NEEDFORSPEED, 19/11/2021 0:35

"He should not be talking about Max and his driving style. Lewis at The British GP put Max in the hospital at 180 MPH and video showed he did not try to turn into the corner"

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5. Posted by kenji, 18/11/2021 23:42

"I'm with Martin Brundle...and Max on this. Nothing more to see here. Time to move on. PS Anything to pass on as Wolff was spotted leaving 5555 Melrose with a grin on his face [ unusual ]?"

Rating: Neutral (0) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

6. Posted by Great_white_shark, 18/11/2021 23:28

"The criticism of Jolyon seems a bit unfair. You could argue that years of experience in the current era of f1 cars count for more. He is familiar with how the cars drive on the limit, he worked closely with some of the best minds in the sport to analyse data, he raced against these drivers, he now has access to a wealth of data.

It's easy to dismiss him because he hasn't won anything but oftentimes mediocre athletes make great coaches, commentators, journalists.

No, I am not Jolyon Palmer..."

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7. Posted by ZJAY, 18/11/2021 22:48

"It is unfortunate that the stewards are not the same for every race. Any penalty for this incident given to Max should be in comparison to the 5 sec penalty Ham got at Silverstone. I am neither a fan of Ham nor of Max, however, however Hamilton is amazing overall.
PS. Except when he can't smile because Rosberg won a race."

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8. Posted by Max Noble, 18/11/2021 22:31

"Years ago I noted how harsh some viewers could be on Schumacher. Granted some of his moves were questionable… however! Sitting back with a nice hot fresh cup of tea (or coffee…) and rewatching videos in slo-mo is *nothing* like hammering into a sweeping corner at 280kph with 750Kg of carbon fibre right next to you trying to do the same thing. Often in the heat of the moment - and remember this entire incident only lasted fractions of a second - we would have made far worse decisions than the drivers we criticise at our leisure from the relaxing environs of our front room.

Slo-mo hindsight is a wonderful thing…!

Do we want always fair racing, or hard racing that occasionally drifts “over the line”…?
"

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9. Posted by Simon in Adelaide, 18/11/2021 21:15

"If this was a film then as the credits rolled ................

Written ............ T Wolff
Produced ......... T Wolff
Directed .......... T Wolff
"

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10. Posted by Mad Matt, 18/11/2021 19:36

"I don't see Jolyon as the yardstick for what a top F1 driver should be but he was a racing driver and so has an incite that perhaps we don't. He also seems to have access to things like traces and so on which I haven't.

Having watched several of his reviews now he seems remarkably good at bringing out interesting points and I've come to respect his opinion.

I also have respect for Martin Brundle (who seemed to think Max was at fault in this case) but he didn't, at that time, have access to the camera angles which Jolyon did.

Watching Jolyon's review gave me his opinion but also a little more info (more camera angles) than I had when I watched the race live, thus helping me refine my opinion.

Try watching some of his reviews, parts of them are free on Youtube and see what you think. I don't regard them as the last word on the subject but I do regard them as useful."

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11. Posted by Editor, 18/11/2021 19:05

"@ jcr

"And since when did Palmer become the yardstick, a guy whom barely held down an F1 Seat for a Year,"

Took the words right out of my mouth... "

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12. Posted by jcr, 18/11/2021 18:58

"As usual Hammi sits on the fence,
And since when did Palmer become the yardstick,
A guy whom barely held down an F1 Seat for a Year,
At least Brundle has some sort of track record."

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13. Posted by Mad Matt, 18/11/2021 18:31

"I've now seen the footage myself and looked at Jolyan Palmer's view and I have to say I'm astonished that Max didn't get penalised given that he didn't come close to making the corner himself. Given that Lando got punished in Austria and Pierre in Turkey and they both made the corner.... even if we assume that Max didn't do it deliberately he still forced another car off the track and went wide in doing so.... a huge mistake to make and one other drivers have been punished for in the past.

I could see an argument for him not being penalised, if he'd just forced Lewis wide but made the corner himself.... but he didn't even come close."

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Hamilton revises view of Turn 4 incident

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