After qualifying eighth for the F1 Italian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was in for a difficult race.
The 7-time world champion started the race on hard tyres, a different strategy from the rest of the top ten drivers. During his first stint, he managed his tyres well enough to pit later than the rest and fight through the field with younger, softer tyres that eventually led him to finish sixth behind his teammate. He overtook Alonso, Norris and Albon cleanly in the second stint.
After pitting for the medium tyre, the British driver spoke on his radio about his surprise to pit and his doubt that the tyres would survive for the rest of the race. Post-race, he explained that he was surprised over the decision to pit, saying: “I definitely wasn’t upset, I was supposed to go to lap 35, and the pace didn’t feel that great at that point, but they said that the lap that I pitted I was going to target, and then all of a sudden they were boxing me so I was a little bit confused with that, that’s all.
“And then I was definitely concerned that I might not make it till the end. And the gap was large between myself and the McLarens, and I dropped back behind an Aston. So at that point, I didn’t realise what my trajectory might be. I took care of the tyres, closed the gap and had that good battle.”
On lap 41, Hamilton, using his fresher medium tyres, attacked Piastri for the eighth position as he made his way through the pack using a different tyre strategy. He pushed the Australian driver towards the grass when he passed on the inside of the second chicane, his right rear tyre making contact with the Australian’s front wing at the entry to the second chicane.
Piastri lost a points finish because he had to pit for a replacement front wing after both drivers used the escape road. The British driver was given a five-second time penalty, but he didn’t lose any positions and finished sixth after passing Alex Albon and building a seven-second gap to him.
When asked about the incident after the race, he insisted that the incident was his fault, and he has apologised to Piastri, adding: “It was obviously my fault; it naturally wasn’t intentional.
“I got up alongside and just misjudged the gap that I had to the right, clipped him. It could happen anytime. But I knew shortly afterwards it must have been my fault.
“I wanted to make sure he knew that it wasn’t intentional. And that’s what gentlemen do, right?”
