During the European Grand Prix, at the brand new Baku City Circuit, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton struggled to establish the correct settings to obtain top performance from his car.
It later emerged that his team had erred with the settings, the radio exchange between the world champion and his engineer Peter Bonnington was one of the few highlights of the race.
Hamilton: “De-rates everywhere, surely isn’t helping. Is there no solution?”
Bonnington: “We’re working on it.”
Hamilton: “You guys need to pick up the pace.”
Bonnington: “The problem appears to be with the current mode that you are in.”
Hamilton: “I don’t know what you mean. I don’t know what’s wrong.”
Hamilton: “Can I not reset this thing?”
Hamilton: “This is ridiculous, guys. I don’t know, I’m looking at my fricking dash every five seconds trying to find the switch in the wrong position.”
Bonnington: “Lewis, it’s nothing you’re doing wrong, just got a setting that’s incorrect.”
Hamilton: “I might not finish the race, I’m going to try and change everything.”
Bonnington: “Erm, we don’t advise that, Lewis.”
Hamilton: “Can I make suggestions and you tell me if that’s okay?”
Bonnington: “Nope, that’s not allowed.”
After a number of stressful laps, with Hamilton increasingly irrate he suddenly set a fastest lap on lap 44, the issue apparently resolved
Bonnington: “You’re the quickest man on track Lewis…”
Hamilton: “Thank f*ck, man , I’ve got my power back!”
The Mercedes driver went on to finish fifth, and although he started tenth on the grid, his optimum pace could have resulted in a podium finish.
Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247
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