Lewis Hamilton has revealed he almost endured a similar crash to Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc before taking third in the Sprint at Formula 1‘s Miami Grand Prix.
Hamilton was the sole Ferrari to see the chequered flag in a truncated race at the Miami International Autodrome as Leclerc collided with the wall en route to the grid.
A pre-race rain shower had created treacherous conditions out on track and Leclerc was rendered a passenger as he aquaplaned into the barrier approaching Turn 11.
The impact caused substantial enough damage to the Monegasque’s car to cause him to give up on a forlorn attempt to nurse his wounded SF-25 back to the pitlane.
Hamilton, who was promoted one spot to sixth in his team-mate’s absence, capitalised on a well-timed switch to slicks to take third place behind the McLaren drivers.
But having also completed his initial reconnaissance tour on the Intermediate compound, Hamilton disclosed that he was fortunate not to replicate Leclerc’s accident.
“When we all went out for the formation lap, obviously Charles had that moment,” Hamilton told media including Motorsport Week.
“I had exactly the same moment because it was right behind him and somehow it just stopped going towards the wall right at the last moment.
“So that was nearly both of us out. So as I said, to come from that to then get these points, I’m really grateful.”
Hamilton struggles triggered inspired call
Hamilton was trailing a sizeable distance behind the leading quintet and was coming under heightened pressure from Alex Albon’s Williams behind as the track dried.
The seven-time champion divulged that his struggles at that stage had a decisive part in the call to switch to slicks that helped him to claw back time on those ahead.
Having undercut the Mercedes duo, Hamilton pounced upon Max Verstappen’s slower warm-up on the Medium tyre to cruise past the Red Bull and up into third place.
“I was so happy; really, really happy with the results to get up here, because it wasn’t looking very good through qualifying, we were a chunk off these guys,” he added.
“And then to get onto the Inters and I was just sliding around and I had the Williams behind me, I think, and there’s another one behind him who most likely [I] could get overtaken by.
“So I was like, I got to roll the dice. I was full lock through Turn 12 and full lock through Turn 16 and it still wasn’t turning.
“So I was like, let’s just go for it. I should have done it maybe a lap or two before that.
“I think it would have been probably the same result because these guys were a bit too far ahead, but really happy to get back up there and get the points.”
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