Hamilton defied Mercedes late British Grand Prix pitstop request
Lewis Hamilton says he went against his Mercedes Formula 1 team by not pitting for fresh tyres for a late British Grand Prix fastest lap attempt

Hamilton scored a record-breaking sixth victory at Silverstone after a safety car period allowed him to jump ahead of polesitting team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
The two Mercedes drivers opted for diverging strategies, with Bottas committing to stopping twice and Hamilton attempting a long first stint on medium tyres, which ultimately meant he did not need to stop again.
Helped by the safety car, Hamilton had pulled 21 seconds clear of Bottas in the closing stages, and therefore could have pitted for a second time and still emerge with his lead intact, virtually guaranteeing himself the fastest lap bonus point on soft tyres.
But the reigning champion decided not to stop, not wanting to risk the pitstop going awry, and he still beat Bottas to the fastest lap on his worn hard tyres.
Asked if he had considered stopping again at the end when he had the margin over Bottas to do so, Hamilton replied: "Why take the risk?
"I had a pitstop window, but there's the entry of the pitlane, there's the stop, there's extra pressure on the mechanics to do the pitstop - not that I doubt them at all, but you just give a chance to it [to go wrong].
"I had saved enough in the tyres, I felt good with the hard tyre, I could keep going. I did have some blistering, so I was kind of conflicted, [thinking] should I stop?
"It would have brought us closer, but there were seven laps left, it's very hard to catch a 21-second delta at the pace I could still do, so I decided [not to stop].
"It's rare to go against the team, but I decided today that was the best thing for me."

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff had said part of the rationale for wanting to bring Hamilton in towards the end was to protect him from a possible second safety car restart.
Asked about the situation by Autosport, Wolff said: "We had some intense debate among us whether to pit for - we had a free pitstop for another soft at the end - or not.
"From a racing driver's standpoint it's always a risk to pit, but from a pure data standpoint you have a free stop, you'd rather go for the soft, because if a safety car happens you're really exposed at the end with the hard tyre.
"So it was 50/50 and then we asked him what he thought about it, and he made the right call I believe, with a little worry in the end about having a blister.
"But I think overall the tyre held on, seven laps to the end, and it was right to keep him out."

Previous article
Albon fell out of British GP points after high-voltage Honda scare
Next article
Mercedes wary of 'unconscious favouritism' with F1 strategic variance

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Lewis Hamilton |
Teams | Mercedes |
Author | Jamie Klein |
Hamilton defied Mercedes late British Grand Prix pitstop request
Trending
Mercedes-AMG W12 Unvieling
Lewis Hamilton explains his 1 year contract
Alpine A521 F1 Launch Highlights
The Silver Arrows Story: Mercedes W03
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The driver problems facing Mercedes in 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The big F1 questions of 2021
After an unprecedented season last year, there are plenty of questions and storylines for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign. Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok gives his verdict
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz Jr in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new team-mate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end