Ferrari has admitted that losing 10 seconds navigating backmarkers contributed to Lewis Hamilton ending up in “no man’s land” at the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.
Hamilton claimed fifth in Monte Carlo as a three-place grid drop for impeding Max Verstappen thwarted his bid to capitalise on his best qualifying to date with Ferrari.
Having lined up in seventh, the Briton bided his time until those ahead pitted and then produced strong pace in clean air to overcut Isack Hadjar and Fernando Alonso.
But while he started his second stint less than a pit stop down on the leaders, Hamilton lost touch and crossed the line over 29 seconds behind Verstappen’s Red Bull.
“I think from where I was, a three-place grid penalty moving forwards back to fifth, I think was decent – the best I could do,” Hamilton expressed.
“For me, I was kind of in the middle of nowhere.
“Obviously I started with the penalty I had down in seventh, was obviously behind two cars for some time.
“Then managed to clear them and then I was kind of just in no man’s land after that. I think the gap was relatively big and I wasn’t racing anyone.
“I needed the Safety Car or something to come into play, but it didn’t happen, so it was just pretty straightforward from there.”
Ferrari explains Hamilton mid-race time loss
Hamilton bleeding time came as he was passing lapped cars, a phase which included a close call with Lance Stroll’s dawdling Aston Martin into the Nouvelle chicane.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur suspects that Hamilton being alone on track ensured the backmarkers weren’t as alert to his arrival as when the quartet ahead approached.
“He lost almost 10 seconds more than the others when he joined the group of cars who were lapped,” Vasseur told media including Motorsport Week.
“I don’t remember who was in this group, but it was a difficult time for him.
“Probably the fact that the others joined this group, packed one after the other, it was much easier, they were aware of the guys coming and a bit less with Lewis and he was alone.
“Compared to Verstappen, who was ahead at this stage, he lost something like 10 seconds in this sequence.”
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