Lewis Hamilton apologises to team for Dutch GP outburst

Lewis Hamilton has apologised to Mercedes for his radio outburst after he was left on medium tyres in the lead of the Dutch GP, whilst those behind him pitted for softs.

Hamilton had been leading before a late Safety Car scuppered him, with Max Verstappen, George Russell and Charles Leclerc all able to overtake on fresher tyres having made the change.

He blasted the team on radio at the time but has since apologised, saying this to Sky:

“I think the strategy and the car had been so good up until that point, the pit stops were fantastic, the best I think we’ve had all year, just felt… it was geeing me up. The guys were really, really on it, we are all on it and I really was hopeful that we were going to get a 1-2 together as a team. Especially after not a great year, an up and down year, we’ve not had a win since Brazil. So it was finally there, within our grasp but of course then the Safety Car really didn’t help. I was just on the edge of breaking point with emotions and my apologies to the team because I don’t even remember what I said, I just lost it for a second. But I think they know that there is just so much passion and I want to look at it as a glass half full, we came here struggling from last race, we were fighting against the Red Bulls today, we were quicker than most at many points. Without the Safety Car I think we’d have been challenging them for the win at the end on the one-stop which I don’t think the others could do. So many great things to take from it, the car was finally working. If this can be the same in the future races, we’re going to be continuing to breathe down their necks and we’re going to get that win.”