Midweek Report guest Will Buxton in disbelief at Silver Arrows call to pit Lewis Hamilton behind the safety car
Wednesday 27 May 2015 15:23, UK
Mercedes made ‘a baffling, basic strategic error’ in Monaco by pitting Lewis Hamilton, F1 reporter Will Buxton has told the Midweek Report.
The world champion lost an almost certain victory when the Silver Arrows called him into the pits with 13 laps remaining after the safety car was scrambled to recover the crashed car of Max Verstappen at Sainte Devote.
Hamilton re-joined in third and despite having fresher tyres, was unable to pass Nico Rosberg or Sebastian Vettel on the tight confines of the Monte Carlo streets. Buxton says the journalists watched on in disbelief.
“The media were all standing around watching this unfold, Jose Maria Lopez, the World Touring Car champion, was there doing stuff for Argentine TV, David Valsecchi, the former GP2 champion, was there doing stuff for Italian TV and as soon as Hamilton came into the pits everyone in unison put their hands on their heads,” he said.
“No one could believe they were throwing away track position in Monaco and as soon as he came in everyone was like ‘that’s it, it’s done, it’s over’. It was a baffling, basic strategic error to hand away the best advantage you have in Monaco which is that first place.”
See more analysis of the Monaco GP on the F1 Midweek Report at 8:30pm on Wednesday on Sky Sports F1. In addition to Will Buxton, Natalie Pinkham is joined by Lotus reserve driver Jolyon Palmer.
