Lewis Hamilton wanted 'what Toto Wolff was smoking' after call insisting win was possible

Hamilton, Mercedes, Hungary — Photo: © LAT Images

Hungarian Grand Prix

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Hamilton wanted 'what Wolff was smoking' after call insisting win was possible

Hamilton was last at one stage of the Hungarian GP but fought back to the podium

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Monday 2 August 2021 05:00

Lewis Hamilton joked he wanted what Toto Wolff "was smoking" after receiving a radio message suggesting he could still win the Hungarian Grand Prix despite a poor strategic call.

The Mercedes driver looked in prime position to take victory at the Hungaroring after team-mate Valtteri Bottas had triggered a first-corner crash that wiped out the Finn's chances as well as that of Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Lando Norris.

After a red-flag period, Mercedes opted to keep Hamilton on intermediate tyres for the restart whilst the rest of the field ducked into the pits for slicks, dictating the British driver would drop to last when he made his switch to medium tyres.

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During the comeback charge to third, team principal Wolff took to the team radio to tell Hamilton: "Lewis, you can win this!"

Asked about Wolff's rare radio message, Hamilton said with a smile: "He’s got a great heart, Toto, but with all due respect, when I got the call, I was like, I want whatever they’re smoking at the end of this race.".

Turning to race-winner Esteban Ocon, who sat alongside him in the post-race FIA press conference, he added: "Because you guys were so far ahead, and I had to make another pit stop at the same time, I was like, impossible to catch you guys."

When Ocon, who was formerly part of the Mercedes junior programme, said "He believes in you, man.," Hamilton replied: "For sure.

"When you’re out there it can definitely seem lonely at some stages, you know, and sometimes you’ve got such tunnel vision that it’s like 10 laps, it’s like a light year.

"It’s just so much time has gone by in that period of time, it feels like you’re travelling through time, it’s a very, very strange experience and then you forget that people are on the other line, so it’s nice to be reminded that they’re there."