03/05/2021
NEWS STORY
Despite another masterclass performance, Lewis Hamilton admits to an idiotic mistake in the moments after the safety car period restart.
As the world champion hung on to the tail of his teammate, waiting for his to hit the gas, when Valtteri Bottas did finally let rip Hamilton appeared to be caught napping and lost ground to the other Mercedes, then, as the field headed into Turn 1, Max Verstappen was able to pass the Briton.
Asked, at the post race press conference what had happened, he laughed: "I lost position... that's what happened!
"It was interesting," he continued, "because I was focusing on Valtteri naturally and literally just for a split second I looked in my mirrors to see where Max was and in that split second that's when Valtteri went.
"So that wasn't great, and then I was in Valtteri's tow and you (Max) were about to pull out and I pulled out and gave you Valtteri's tow and I was like, 'you idiot', to myself you know.
"So then after that being behind the two... what a great track... it really enabled us to fight closely in that first stint and I think that's what the fans want and that's what I want from a racing point of view.
"This track is really great because you can have certain different lines in certain corners, a bit like Austin, so it was really awesome.
Idiotic mistake or not, Hamilton leaves Portugal with an 8 point lead and a Mercedes that is looking increasingly to be the class of the field... again.
"It's a great fight between Mercedes and Red Bull," he said, "and I'm sure also down the field, and I think it's clear that we just have to continue to… that we're going to be pushing each other right to the last race.
"We're going to be sick of each other at the end, I would imagine! Or at least sick of racing because there's so many races!"
Check out our Sunday gallery from Portimao, here.