Lewis Hamilton earned himself his third podium of the season in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, however the Mercedes driver admitted to enduring a troublesome race marked by a “hair-raising” second with Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen.
The pair collided within the closing levels of the race when Verstappen tried an audacious lunge down the within of his rival at Flip 1, just for the Dutchman to lock up and have his left rear wheel clip the Mercedes’ entrance proper.
The Purple Bull was launched into the air and left the observe however was in a position to proceed to complete fifth whereas Hamilton additionally survived the contact to make his technique to a hard-earned third place.
Nevertheless, the incident was put below evaluation by the Stewards to evaluate every driver’s tasks.
“Finally, we did not have the tempo of the McLarens, or did we now have the tempo of the Purple Bulls,” Hamilton mentioned after the race.
“However we had been simply in a position to maintain on firstly of the race. It was very powerful to carry on and make these tyres final.
“And clearly the shut battle we had on the finish was a bit hair-raising. However that is motor racing. I am actually completely happy and grateful for the factors. Huge thanks for the crew.”
In parc fermé, Hamilton was requested by his former Mercedes crew mate if his battle with Verstappen which unfolded over two levels had been “nerve-racking”.
“It is not nerve-racking,” he responded.
“I feel it once you see the tempo at which they closed the hole in sure corners, you simply snort to your self as a result of it is not one thing that I can do.
“Significantly the final sector they had been very robust – identical because the McLarens. I imply, I noticed him coming from a good distance again and he was in a position to brake quite a bit later than me.
“However, he despatched it up the within, I stayed nonetheless and he clipped the wheel and went over. So, I feel a racing incident. However, you realize, yeah…”
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