HOCKENHEIM, Germany: Lewis Hamilton will have to start from 20th on the grid for Sunday’s German Grand Prix after receiving a five-place penalty for a brake disc change.
The change was necessary after the Mercedes driver’s high speed crash in qualifying at Hockenheim on Saturday.
“I’ve got to now do damage limitation again, which I seem to be doing quite often,” Hamilton said in reference to his qualifying mishap at Silverstone when he failed to complete his last flying lap.
Hamilton’s qualifying woes at Hockenheim were exagerated as his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who leads him by four points in the drivers championship, grabbed pole.
“I’d have to be smoking something to think I could really get to first. Nico’s on pole. He’s got no-one in front of him,” Hamilton added.
“When you miss the whole session you know that’s almost your whole weekend out the window – or the win, 25 points,” he said.
“It’s very difficult initially but you just have to suck it in.”
The 2008 world champion ran into trouble when his car’s right front disc failed, pitching him into a collision with the barriers at the Sachskurve bend.
That required a switch of brake discs which breached the parc ferme regulations.
Reflecting on his accident Hamilton added: “I was very sore afterwards.
“I’ve had a lot of crashes in my life, some worse than others. I went in sideways, didn’t hurt my head or anything, but knees, ankles, lower back – yeah, I felt it.
“Initially your adrenalin’s pumping and all you can think of is, ‘Damn, that’s me out of qualifying’. And second, ‘Damn, I’m in pain.’ And you’re trying to figure out what that is and just hoping you’re OK.
“Fortunately I got out. I’ll be a bit bruised tomorrow probably but I’m glad I can continue.” — AFP