adminLONDON. – Lewis Hamilton has pleaded for understanding about his perceived post-race unhappiness at the Austrian Grand Prix after falling 20 points behind Sebastian Vettel in the Formula One title race.
Hamilton could only finish fourth at the Red Bull Ring, two places behind Vettel, while Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas reignited his own championship bid with his second win of the season.
“I think it’s important for people who are watching, and also people who are reporting, to have patience with us drivers,” said Hamilton.
“You can’t be happy when you don’t have a result. You sacrifice everything to get the best result possible.
“When you personally don’t deliver and when things stack up against you, it’s hard to come out smiling. That would mean you don’t care enough. The fact is, l care.”
Throughout a weekend overshadowed by the fallout from his collision with Vettel in Baku, Hamilton’s body language in Austria was interpreted as subdued and downbeat.
It subsequently emerged that Mercedes had informed their driver at the start of the week he was facing a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change. – Sky Sports.
Online Reporter