This could have been very awkward
The tensions in the Mercedes garage have been well-publicised over the past year, but the team moved quickly to diffuse any potential problems after a shambolic decision cost world champion Lewis Hamilton victory in Monaco today.
The Englishman started the race in Monte Carlo on pole and was out in front and in control when the team called him into the pits on lap 64.
But they had got their timings horribly wrong and Hamilton emerged in third, right behind team-mate Nico Rosberg and the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.
Rosberg went on to win the race and cut the gap to championship leader Hamilton to just ten points, leaving Mercedes to quickly set about calming any potential disquiet.
To Lewis: "It was all our mistake today lewis, a split second decision and the timing didn't work" We take this one on our shoulders.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 24, 2015
It's a third win for Nico here in Monaco but the focus post race will be on the second stop for Lewis. It was our mistake today.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 24, 2015
And team boss Toto Wolff wanted to make sure Hamilton knew how badly the team had messed up and were super sorry about it.
Toto: "There is nothing else to do than apologise to Lewis, it was a misjudgement in the heat of the moment"
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 24, 2015
Toto: "I'm sorry for Lewis that we made the mistake and I'm sorry for Lewis. It should have been a perfect 1-2 today"
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 24, 2015
Toto: "We made a decision and it was the wrong decision. We need to analyse it and to apologise to Lewis"
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 24, 2015
The other talking point from an otherwise dull race was a horrific crash for Max Verstappen. The 17-year-old Dutch racer ran into the back of Romain Grosjean’s Lotus and drove straight into the barriers.
Looking at Max Verstappen's crash for the umpteenth time: that impact barrier did a phenomenal job.
— Richard Williams (@rwilliams1947) May 24, 2015
