- Brazilian Grand Prix - Mercedes
Hamilton surprised by Bottas incident
Lewis Hamilton said he was surprised by Valtteri Bottas in the incident which saw the two collide during the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Bottas pulled alongside Hamilton on the run down to Turn 4 as he attempted to unlap himself, but Hamilton moved back towards the outside of the track and the two touched, sending Bottas spinning out of the race without a wheel and giving Hamilton a right rear puncture. Having been given a drive-through penalty for the incident, Hamilton said he felt there shouldn't have been blame apportioned.
"I guess it's a racing incident really," Hamilton said. "I saw him catching me and I moved over and then I didn't think he was going to make it in time because we were in the braking zone so I started creeping back to turn and he dived down the outside and braked quite a lot later.
"I didn't think he was going to go there and it was last minute; all of a sudden we touched just as I was turning. So it's a bit unfortunate."
Hamilton said it surprised him that Bottas placed his car where he did but admits he should have let the Williams past more easily.
"He couldn't have gone round the outside, plus he was a lap down. For me I was thinking that I was trying to catch Fernando so if he goes past I might lose time to Fernando. With hindsight perhaps I should have just let him past because obviously we would have avoided that incident. He was quite quick, he had newer tyres than me - he had just pitted - so it's something that we'll learn for the future."
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