Mercedes: One lap away, Hamilton could have lost everything
Starting from pole position, Lewis Hamilton was not really troubled throughout the race. However, his Mercedes experienced major brake problems in the final laps and had to slow down to avoid going off track.
It was a visibly delighted Lewis Hamilton who answered Sir Jackie Stewart’s questions on the Sakhir podium. The reigning world champion won his third race of the season without much effort and can even be pleased to see his teammate Nico Rosberg finish in third place.
« I am really happy, it’s a perfect weekend », said Hamilton. Is he thinking about a third world championship? The Englishman doesn’t dodge the question about a Scotsman he would gladly take as a model: « Yes, obviously, I’m thinking about the third title. I will do everything to get it ».
But the Ferrari threat looms over Lewis Hamilton, whether it’s named Kimi Räikkönen or Sebastian Vettel: « Ferrari really put the pressure on us this Sunday. We had to be really careful with our tires, the lapped drivers, and what could happen on the track. Fortunately, I was able to manage my car and my tires to claim the victory. But it’s clear that Ferrari is close to us. We need to improve. »
The double world champion had to slow down on the last lap to avoid facing the same issues as Nico Rosberg, who went off track due to overheating brakes. “I think the brakes overheated because of the backmarkers,” explained Hamilton. “When you follow a driver, you don’t really have as much fresh air, and the brakes overheat. The team was concerned about it, but it wasn’t really a problem for me.”
Toto Wolff, the team principal, was much more concerned after the race: « We lost the brakes in the last two laps. One more lap, and it would have been over… ». In Canada, last year, the Mercedes cars had to give way due to the same problem.
The Sakhir circuit was the most demanding circuit with brakes of the season, after the Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Canada.
