Q & A with Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton: "I had no warning. I exited the fast left-hander at Turn Eight and saw some bits fly off the tyre. And as soon as I braked into Turn Nine it just exploded. I went off and almost hit the barrier. The wheel just locked up and I was very lucky to get the car stopped.

"From then on I was just trying to nurse it to the pits. The tyre was flapping around, there was quite a big chunk missing from the front wing and I was worried that I might incur other problems. We didn't change the wing because we just decided to get back out and try to keep the points I had.

"I was just surprised. I was trying to close the gap to the Ferraris: they were battling and losing time to each other and I knew I was running five to six laps longer than them and knew I had a chance to jump at least one of them at my final pit stop, but the tyre went and that was that.

"As soon as the tyre went I braked and it looked as though I was going off into the gravel and into the wall. But I locked up all the wheels to get it stopped. I tried to keep going but the tyre got worse and worse. I reached Turn 12 and the car wouldn't steer. I got to the pit lane and almost hit the wall. It was a real fight and I was relieved to get it back."

Q. Do you feel lucky or unlucky?

Hamilton: "I was unfortunate. I don't count myself unlucky because I'm the only one who's suffered a delaminated tyre, but that's just racing. I feel confident that we have a good package for Monza, and we'll be able to evaluate it during this week's test. But there are five races to go and it's not over yet. I'm still five points clear, which is good."

Q. How do you rate your title chances?

Hamilton: "It's a pity to lose a few points, but I'll figure a way to get them back elsewhere."

Q. The last big memory we have of a tyre flapping on a title contender's car is Nigel Mansell at Adelaide in 1986. Did you see that?

Hamilton: "No. I was one!"

Q. Was it a question of damage limitation after Kimi Raikkonen passed you at the start?

Hamilton: "I never think damage limitation. I always want to do the best I can and I always have my eye on the win. I tried to stick with the Ferrari and thought I might be able to jump them if I ran an extra lap, but I struggled to stay with them. You overheat your tyres if you get too close and they've had very good pace all weekend."

Q. This is your first big problem in a race...

Hamilton: "We've had one technical problem and one tyre problem - nothing to do with the team, it just overheated. It's just one of those things."

Q. Did you think back to what happened at the Nurburgring when the tyre went down?

Hamilton: "No, that was quite a bit different."

Q. Do you get the sense that the title fight will go all the way to Brazil?

Hamilton: "It's possible, but I hope not. I'd like to get it earlier. At the end of the day, though, it doesn't matter whether I clinch it before the end of the season or in Brazil. The important thing is that I get it."