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Lewis Hamilton. (Photo by Mario Renzi – Formula 1 / Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Lewis hamilton blamed himself for the error that led him to be sanctioned on Sunday Italian Grand Prix in which he finished seventh after an assault from the rear of the field.
The championship leader and six-time world champion was leading comfortably when he pitched during the deployment of a safety car, having failed to see the signs that the pit lane was closed.
He was given a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for the error and had to enter the pits following the safety car, meeting in 17th place at the rear of the group before doing a series of fast laps to climb the points .
“We didn’t do a great job with the pit stop,” he admitted.
“Honestly, I didn’t see those tables. I take responsibility for that, so it’s something we’ll learn from in the future.
“But to finish seventh and get the fastest lap and still get some good points, I definitely didn’t think it was possible 26 seconds behind, like the last car, so I’ll definitely take it.”
He added: “And obviously I’m thankful that Max (Verstappen) didn’t score any points. So overall, it’s not that big of a loss today.”
Hamilton retained a 47-point lead in the race for the drivers’ title.
He is 164 points ahead of his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, who struggled to fifth place after a poor start.
Hamilton was quick to congratulate Pierre Gasly on claiming his first Formula One victory with Alpha Tauri.
“Many congratulations to Pierre for his performance. It is a great result for him,” said Hamilton.
“Obviously, I’ve seen what he’s been through since he got kicked out of the best team and now he’s beaten the best team,” in reference to Gasly’s demotion in 2019 from Red Bull to younger sister team Alpha Tauri.
“I think it’s great to see him recover and watch him grow. I’m really happy for him.
“My career was not meant to be today. It was a bit unfortunate, but what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.”
