31/10/2016
NEWS STORY
Lewis Hamilton denies that he benefitted from cutting opening corner in Mexico.
While the stewards were busy assessing Max Verstappen's late excursion during his battle with Sebastian Vettel, not to mention the German's subsequent encounter with Daniel Ricciardo, many were still wondering how Lewis Hamilton escaped punishment after running wide at the first corner after locking-up and heading across the grass to rejoin the track at Turn 3 still leading.
According to Motorsport.com, Race Director Charlie Whiting - yes, that Charlie - and the stewards were satisfied that Hamilton did not gain a "lasting advantage" during the incident and that telemetry proved he had backed off, whereas in Verstappen's case the only way that the Red Bull driver was able to remain ahead of a much quicker Vettel was by cutting the corner and rejoining the track.
Defending his move, which has led to criticism from a number of rival drivers, Hamilton said: "I flat-spotted a tyre so that wasn't an advantage. I was in the lead going in and still in the lead going.
"Basically on the formation lap I had a glazed right front brake," he revealed. "I had 500 degrees in the left and 200-250 on the right. I went to Turn 1 and the right front woke up and locked and I was carrying such speed I was lucky I didn't go in the wall.
"After that I had the biggest vibration," he continued." I didn't know if I was going to make it. The vibration was so big I could hardly see."
Interestingly, while much of the focus on Verstappen concerns the incident at the end of the race, little attention has been paid to what was going on behind Hamilton at Turn 1, where Rosberg went off track as he battled the Red Bull driver.
TV replays clearly show that the German was effectively forced off track after being 'kissed' by the Dutch driver, even though, having investigated the incident, which was mainly focussed on Rosberg leaving the track and rejoining, the stewards ruled that neither driver was wholly or predominately to blame for the collision.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Mexico City, here.