19/04/2021
NEWS STORY
Following the comeback of comebacks, Lewis Hamilton admits to error that cost him Imola win, insisting that he's only human.
In the moments before the incident involving his teammate, Valtteri Bottas and George Russell, Lewis Hamilton appeared to throw it all away when he made an uncharacteristic mistake at Tosa and headed off into the gravel.
"So sorry guys," was the brief radio message.
For agonising moments it appeared the seven-time world champion had either beached the car in the kitty litter, or stalled it as the car remained stationary, pointing at the barrier. However, he eventually found reverse and was able to get going again.
Though he had dropped five positions and was now a lap down on race leader, Max Verstappen, the red-flag that followed the Bottas/Russell clash subsequently allowed Hamilton to turn his race around again, to dramatic effect.
Nonetheless, the Briton admits that it was a needless, and almost very costly mistake.
"We're only human," he subsequently told reporters, "so just that bit of a mistake was one to learn from.
"There was only one dry line, and I guess I was in a bit too much of a hurry to get by everyone.
"I remember just sitting there, looking at the barrier and I refused to think that the race was over. I refused to believe that the race was done. I could have obviously just turned the car off and got out but I'm grateful that I didn't, it's an amazing lesson to be sent and to experience."
At the restart the Mercedes driver was ninth, but over the course of the remaining laps he picked off the opposition one-by-one, Raikkonen, Stroll, Ricciardo, Sainz, Leclerc and Norris.
"I'm just grateful I could get going again and get back into the race," admitted Hamilton. "It's not how you fall. It's how you get up."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Imola, here.