Hamilton: “The halo saved my neck”
Lewis Hamilton considers himself lucky and thanks the halo for being on the cars. He is also proud of the stewards for imposing a three-place grid penalty on Max Verstappen for the next Russian Grand Prix.
The halo is the best thing that has happened to F1. Since its integration into single-seaters, it has brought only good to this sport. We all remember the carnage in Belgium in 2018. Fernando Alonso’s single-seater was airborne, hitting Charles Leclerc’s Sauber in passing. The Monegasque narrowly escaped thanks to the presence of the halo. More recently, Romain Grosjean’s violent crash in Bahrain in 2020. The worst was avoided. Without the halo, the driver would no longer be here. Whatever we say, this system works wonders.
At Monza, the consequences could have been worse. After a disastrous pit stop, Lewis Hamilton had just come out of the pits behind Lando Norris. Max Verstappen was quickly coming up alongside him trying to go around the outside of the Mercedes at turns 1 and 2. The space was too tight for the cars to pass and a collision was inevitable. The Red Bull ended up on Hamilton’s car and Verstappen’s right rear tire hit the helmet of the Mercedes driver. Hamilton praised the work done by the halo in protecting him.
« Honestly, I feel very lucky today. Thank God for the halo, which I think ultimately saved my neck. I don’t think I’ve ever been hit on the head by a car before and it’s a shock to me. […] I’ve been racing for a very long time, so I am so grateful to still be here. »
But the seven-time world champion will surely have to see a specialist for his neck. After the race, his pain was increasing. Hamilton wants to make sure he is fit for the next race.
« I will probably need to see a specialist, just to make sure everything is okay for the next race, because it’s getting tighter and tighter. I really feel like it’s getting worse, as the adrenaline is running out, but I will work with Angela Cullen (his physiotherapist) to address it.
« I am proud of the commissioners »
At the end of the race, Verstappen was handed a three-place grid penalty for the next GP in Russia and two penalty points. He is deemed mainly responsible for the accident. Hamilton is pleased with the decision made by the stewards and hopes it will set a precedent for future duels.
« I am finally proud of the commissioners. I need time to think about it, but I think it definitely sets a precedent and it is important for us to move forward and have strict rules in place for the safety of the pilots.
This is not the first time that the two drivers collide this season. At Silverstone, after a fierce battle for the first place, Verstappen ended up in the wall while the two cars were wheel to wheel. The Dutchman had to retire and saw his rival finish the race in first position.
Before concluding, the seven-time world champion revisited the incident and judged his position to be correct. He doesn’t really understand the choice of the Red Bull driver to insist when there wasn’t really room to overtake.
« I left enough space, but we went at a similar speed in the turn and I was in front in turn 2. He lost control when passing the sidewalk and went into me. I don’t feel at fault, because I was hit from behind. Ultimately, there is a moment when you have to admit that you’re not going to make the turn. Everyone usually went over those sidewalks, and I don’t know why Max didn’t.
None of the two drivers scored points in the Italian Grand Prix, but Verstappen leaves with a five-point lead in the drivers’ standings over Hamilton thanks to the sprint race. There are still eight races left to determine the 2021 F1 champion.
