Lewis Hamilton explains Max Verstappen incident in France FP2

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton explains Verstappen incident in France FP2

'It was kind of cool...'

Matthew Scott

Friday 21 June 2019 19:12

Lewis Hamilton was impressed with his own powers of recovery as he caught a huge slide in FP2 for the French Grand Prix, and explained the circumstances which followed - for which the FIA stewards opened an investigation as Max Verstappen was forced off the track.

Hamilton topped FP1 in Le Castellet, with teammate Valtteri Bottas taking top spot in FP2.

The championship leader was four tenths adrift, having had a flying lap spoiled by a sideways moment, which also prompted an investigation as Verstappen ran wide avoiding Hamilton as he returned to the track.

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No penalty was forthcoming, allowing Hamilton to focus on where improvements can be made ahead of qualifying.

“It was a serious moment, I’m surprised I caught it,” Hamilton said. “If I had gone around I might have gone off into the wall.

“I got it under control but drifting, then I had to apply the brake, and come off the brake and apply the brake and a bit of gas to try and keep the balance, it was kind of cool.

“So I am definitely happy with the save. It didn’t really damage the tyres either. I went off, tried to trundle back onto the track, away from the racing line, but then naturally you get to the racing line.

“I was looking in my mirror, but being along the white line, you look behind you, and there’s nothing there – because Max was quite far on racing line on other side, I was just trying to go slow to stay out of the way, I saw him all of a sudden come round.

“Luckily I didn’t stop him going into the corner, think he had a big snap on exit. It’s practice, sometimes these things happen, it wasn’t intentional or anything like that.”

There was further good news for Hamilton as it was confirmed shortly after FP2 that his Canadian GP victory would stand, as Ferrari's attempts to have Sebastian Vettel's penalty reviewed by the FIA were rejected.