"That was a clear mistake" - Lewis Hamilton reveals errors made during F1 2021 season

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have both had their fair share of bad luck and accidents in the F1 2021 season so far. At venues such as Silverstone and Monza, the two drivers collided on track, with both suffering DNFs (did not finish) in the latter.

Hamilton spoke about his driving errors and mishaps in an interview with German magazine Auto Motor und Sport. The Briton commented on his mistake at the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which saw him take to the gravel whilst lapping 2022 teammate George Russell. He said:

“In Imola, I knew that I couldn’t lose another seven points. In retrospect, you could perhaps say that I was too impatient and too aggressive. I can tell you that it was painful when I drove into the gravel. If only I had been a little more patient with the laps. But at that moment, I was only thinking of catching up with Max. That was not good. That was a clear mistake.”

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes limited the damage though, recovering with a masterful drive which took him from P9 to P2.

While the seven-time world champion admitted to his mistake in Imola, he blamed his Mercedes' "Magic Button" for his Azerbaijan Grand Prix faux pas. Commenting on the series of events that saw him drive off-course during a late restart, Lewis Hamilton said:

“When I look at Baku, I don’t see it as a driving mistake. That was more of a problem with the car. This mistake had to happen at some point. There was no border around the ‘Magic Button’, the button that deactivates the brakes on the rear axle so that the front brakes and tires can be heated up more quickly. I’ve always positioned my hand when operating the clutch so that that I don’t downshift by mistake. Then the button was activated when swiping over. And I had no idea about it."

The Briton finished the race outside the points, while Max Verstappen crashed out early in the race.

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Lewis Hamilton can't afford mistakes at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

The inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix could potentially be where Max Verstappen clinches his first world title. If the Dutchman can create a gap of 26 points or more to Lewis Hamilton, the latter won't have enough races left to catch up on points, granting Max his first-ever world championship victory.

However, the Briton has shown tremendous late-season form while Mercedes have stepped up their game too. With back-to-back victories in Brazil and Qatar, he's reduced the gap to his 24-year-old challenger to just eight points, and is being pegged by many as the favorite for the championship.