Revealed: Lewis Hamilton wanted Las Vegas GP ‘stopped’ on missed F1 radio show
Lewis Hamilton wanted Las Vegas GP ‘stopped’ on missed F1 TV radio show
Lewis Hamilton finished seventh at the Las Vegas Grand Prix after giving an excellent review of a track that received much criticism ahead of the race.
Lewis Hamilton finally enjoyed the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit, but at the start of the race he hinted at quitting.
As several crashes occurred in the first corner, the virtual safety car was immediately activated, marking the start of an eventful Grand Prix. Hamilton was one of those who made contact with another car but, unlike the others, did not spin.
However, due to losing too much time, Lando Norris was at the back of the pack when he lost control at high speed and hit the wall. The crash led to McLaren’s recovery, resulting in a full safety car.
Neither Hamilton nor teammate George Russell pitted, but both were concerned about being behind the safety car on the slick new surface. Given these factors, along with the cold temperatures, Hamilton was particularly concerned about the risks.
“There is no problem here,” he said, before suggesting that race control should consider suspending the race. “The speed is too slow and dangerous for us.
We have to hurry or stop,” he added. Russell expressed his concern in a radio message. He said: “The temperature of the tires here drops significantly. “The safety car really needs to move a bit.”
Fortunately, none of my fears went away as not much happened until the race resumed and the tires warmed up. Despite several near misses on his way to seventh place in an eventful race, Hamilton later stated that he enjoyed racing on the new street circuit.
He said: “I’m very happy that I played a good game and I’m very happy that the game went well. I don’t know what it was like to watch, but there was more to come. It was like Baku, but better.
“I had no idea the track would be this good, but the more laps I did, the more I enjoyed the race. There are many opportunities to overcome. “It’s all about the show, looking at the weekend negatively. Blah blah blah, I guess Vegas proved them wrong.
Max Verstappen won his 18th race of the season, while Charles Leclerc overtook Sergio Perez on the final lap to take second behind the Mexican. Norris was taken to hospital as a precaution after sustaining injuries, but was later released without injury.
