• German GP - Race

Button questions Hamilton mentality

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Jenson Button says he does not understand why Lewis Hamilton assumed he would move over for the Mercedes when they were racing at Hockenheim.

Hamilton came up behind his former McLaren team-mate during his charge through the field on lap 31 and attempted to pass at Turn 6, when Button took a deeper line into the corner to get a good exit. Hamilton misread this as his fellow countryman letting the superior Mercedes through - leading to contact - but Button thinks that is the wrong attitude for any driver to have.

"Why would we let anyone through?" said Button. "I don't know if you've noticed but a lot of drivers take that line [at Turn 6] to get a good exit. I think the problem with Lewis is he expected me to let him past. I don't think I'm the only person he drove into today. It's strange, when the car is that much quicker you'd think you wouldn't get into those kind of fights - but there you go.

"He drove into my rear wheel, that's all I've got to say. I don't know much else about it. When I felt the hit at the rear I was a bit surprised, really. I think he believed I was moving across to let him by but that was not the case, I was racing at that point."

Hamilton got by at the next lap at the same corner in much simpler fashion and raised his hand to Button by way of apology, though Button joked: "I'm not sure if he was apologising!"

Hamilton took visible damage to his front wing from the incident Button appeared to be unscathed, though he pitted soon after. Button does not think McLaren hit the mark with its strategy today after an early first stop meant he had to stretch out his final stint for over 30 laps.

"I don't think so, no," Button replied when asked if he picked up any damage from Hamilton. "We pitted very soon after that. I don't know if it was because of a slow puncture or what, or whether it was the way our strategy was going.

"Obviously there the incident at the start, but I'd had a good start and was running sixth, running OK. We definitely got it wrong with the first stop, actually I don't know why we stopped so early. It made it impossible to hold onto those tyres at the end of the race."

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