Sunday: Hamilton crashes, Button on the podium
Between Lewis Hamilton's retirement and Jenson Button's podium, the outcome is mixed for the British team, which will still return from Spa-Francorchamps with a nice third place. Reactions from the drivers and the Team Principal, Martin Whitmarsh.
Jenson Button – 3rd:
« It wasn’t easy today to start 13th on the grid and finish 3rd. At the start of the race, someone hit me from behind and part of my wing was damaged. Coming out of the first corner, where there was a lot of debris, I was hit by someone else’s front wing which tore off my right mirror. I quickly had to make a pit stop, which went perfectly well. The team informed me that the damage was manageable, so I went back for a few laps to make our strategy work. After that, I pushed hard until the end of the race. I believe everyone today was troubled by the front left tire, so pushing to the maximum was very tricky. But considering the damage we had on the car, attacking and overtaking as I did was a real joy. Today the car reached its best level compared to previous races, and I have never felt so good in F1. But we need to avoid the small mistakes that can happen in order to win more races. I am confident about our chances of victory at Monza. »
Lewis Hamilton – Retirement:
I was well-positioned and even overtook one of the Ferraris, but afterwards I was hit by Kamui (Kobayashi). I’m not really sure what happened, but I crashed hard into the wall which completely ruined my race. Being ahead at that moment, I don’t know why I was hit. Here’s another race I couldn’t finish this season, but that’s how it goes in motorsports. At least the team’s overall performance over the weekend wasn’t too bad, and I hope we will win more races this season.
Martin Whitmarsh – Team Principal:
« Jenson was truly impressive today, and I can say he was really the man of the moment. Starting 13th, then losing a wing, dropping back to 19th place, and then fighting to finally finish 3rd on one of the most challenging tracks in F1… It’s the kind of performance that proves you are a true champion.»
Regarding Lewis, I think he was very unlucky to be hit by Kamui like that. There’s a feeling of waste. Fortunately, Lewis came out unscathed, which is the most important thing. We are frustrated by the result, but that’s racing. We are now looking forward to the Italian Grand Prix in two weeks, and I believe we have a good chance of winning at Monza.
