After a 27-lap battle with Michael Schumacher at Monza, the F1 world saw a rather tight-lipped Lewis Hamilton refuse to comment on what was believed to be a series of illegal maneuvers by the seven-time world champion.
However, his team-mate, Jenson Button, has come out and said that Schumacher’s driving was illegal and wasn’t altogether “that bright.”
“I thought he [Schumacher[ was moving quite a bit with Lewis,” Button told the press.
“He was moving across to the left and then to the right, which I don’t think was all that bright. Fair enough, he was coming out of a corner on to the straight but why didn’t he keep to the left? He always went to the right, then left and back to the right.”
“Not exactly what we agree is one move. Maybe he has just lost his memory.”
The moves were noted by the sports governing body, and within a couple of laps, Mercedes team principal, Ross Brawn, radioed Schumacher and asked him to “leave room at Ascari.” A coded message to simply remind Schumacher to make only one blocking move.
McLaren team boss, Martin Whitmarsh, admitted that the lack of penalty for the Mercedes team was “pretty harsh,” and that the sheer fact that his driver was forced onto the grass at one point was “scarey as hell.”
Commending his driver for his un-usually quiet approach with post-race press, Whitmarsh said, “Lewis complained a few times, but in a very calm way. His job is to do that in case the stewards don’t see anything.
“I think it was heartfelt anyway, also sincere and reasonable.”
No penalty was given to Schumacher or the Mercedes team, and Lewis Hamilton managed to pass just a few laps later finishing the race in 4th.
