Mercedes declares wrong split second call Hamilton "Pit stop preparing".

Bottas didn't come through traffic

Bottas drove behind his predecessor for about the entire race and was unable to pass Lando Norris. The Finn was severely criticised. Andrew Shovlin, Chief Engineer of Mercedes gives the following explanation

"There were a few factors why that was. Her engine got very hot because the cooling was reduced, we hadn't experienced this in traffic yet, that's why you heard us over the radio telling him not to constantly drive behind his predecessor but to steer to the sides for clean air. In addition, the tires in traffic became very hot, causing him to lose grip. Earlier in the race he thought he had a flat tire, but it turned out he didn't have one. It was the cooling of the engine and the degradation of the tires.

Lewis Hamilton managed later in the race. The British driver drove from last place to seventh place in less than twenty laps.

Explanation for pit stop Hamilton

Hamilton saw his race being ruined when his team called him in for a pit stop while the pit lane was closed. James Vowles, head of strategy, talks about what happened:

"The safetyy car came when Magnussen was stranded, in a place that seemed safe, close to the entrance to the pit but in the grass. Eleven seconds later we got the message about the closed pit lane, ten seconds later Hamilton came in".

"We received several messages, one of which was about closing the pit lane between all the others. Hamilton was just in the last corner at the time and is missing a sign on the left side of the road. He was already preparing for the pit stop so he didn't see that sign. It is also very difficult at such a speed, to see the right sign in a few seconds".

At the pit wall it went as follows: "We, in turn, were mainly preparing for the pit stop so we didn't see that one line on the screen hidden between other messages in this second game". The team was working on the strategy of the pit stop and made a human error.