• Canadian Grand Prix

Hamilton puts Monaco behind him

Lewis Hamilton says he has apologised to both Pastor Maldonado and Felipe Massa © Sutton Images

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• Massa accepts Hamilton apology
  
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• Hamilton apologises for joke
  

• Race:
• Canadian Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Lewis Hamilton

• Teams:
• McLaren

Lewis Hamilton says he has put his disastrous weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix behind him and is focussing on having a strong weekend in Canada.

After a strategic qualifying error left him starting ninth on the grid in Monaco, Hamilton had collisions with Felipe Massa and Pastor Maldonado during the race, both of which earned him penalties. Immediately after the race he called both drivers "ridiculous" for their parts in the incidents, and joked that he was harshly treated by the stewards "maybe because I am black - that's what Ali G says."

Hamilton clarified his comments to the race stewards after the race, and said he has subsequently apologised to both Massa and Maldonado, while also praising the stewards.

"Last week, coming back from the grand prix I had some time to reflect on my behaviour and my weekend, and just a feeling of it being a bad day in the office," Hamilton said. "I wrote a letter to the FIA to apologise and spoke to the drivers. I felt that was necessary to do, and it was the right thing to do, to put it behind me.

"This is racing... when you are competitive and this is the pinnacle of motorsport... it is not easy to overtake, so every move you make is questionable. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you don't. The stewards are doing a great job, and since I am in F1 it has been improving, being much more consistent - and it makes it much better."

Hamilton also admitted that he would rather not face the stewards so often, but said he used the experiences to stand him in better stead in the future.

"While I would prefer not to be in the stewards' room too often and I am trying, my whole life I was always in the headmasters' office, so I am used to it and try and learn from situations I get myself into."

Jean Todt had said that there were a number of potential sanction that Hamilton could have faced, but that the matter was closed after the pair exchanged letters, and Hamilton thanked the FIA president for his handling of the issue.

"I had time to reflect on the weekend and I wrote a sincere apology letter to Jean and to the FIA, and I got a great letter back. After that I was able to put it behind me and I am very grateful to be here. I do want what is best for the sport and I want to be able to contribute to improving the sport and making it great."

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