A P2 finish in Mexico came in 'awkward' circumstances after a frosty reception towards Lewis Hamilton. MexicoGP F1
“This has been an amazing crowd, definitely a bit awkward this time around,” said Hamilton. “Boos all day, but nonetheless I have so much love for Mexico and for the people here and what a great race event they put on this weekend.”
While Verstappen started the race on the soft tyre, Hamilton began on the medium rubber, hoping that this would work in his favour as he kept Verstappen within sight during that opening stint. “I was so close I think in that first stint,” Hamilton commented. But once he and team-mate Russell went onto the hard tyre, Verstappen switching to mediums, Verstappen was able to pull away and“But I think the Red Bull’s just clearly too fast today, and ultimately maybe they had the better tyre strategy,” Hamilton added.
To Hamilton’s point, on several occasions he had questioned Mercedes’ choice to switch him onto the hard tyre, believing it was not the right call.Mercedes’ thought process was that the yellow-marked medium tyres would drop off for Verstappen, allowing Hamilton to close in at the end. It did not work out that way.
“I’m not sure it was the right tyre at the end,” Hamilton reiterated. “I thought we should have started on the soft, but obviously we had the opposite tyre.Read more: