"Thank you for holding us to account on this mistake": Mercedes issues apology to Lewis Hamilton fans

The Mercedes F1 team has apologized to Lewis Hamilton fans after they pointed out the mistake they made while celebrating the Canadian GP podium finish on social media.

The German team was seemingly elated with the performance in Montreal as they finished P3 and P4 courtesy of George Russell and Hamilton, respectively. The former world champions were arguably the fastest team on the grid last weekend but fell just short of getting their first win of the season.

However, on their social media platforms, they made a blunder by terming the P3 finish as their 'first trophy' of the season. They posted:

"Heading home with our first trophy of the year. This one is for everyone in Brackley and Brixworth that have been working so hard to move us closer to the front."

However, F1 fans were quick to point out Lewis Hamilton's P2 finish at the Chinese GP Sprint race earlier in the season, and that Mercedes had also called that their 'first' trophy.

The Mercedes admin has now admitted the error and posted the correct version, while also issuing an apology.

"This is our second trophy of the year, not our first as we mistakenly said. All Sprint and Grand Prix trophies matter to us. Thank you for holding us to account on this mistake," they wrote.

Mercedes team boss gives his take on Lewis Hamilton's assessment of his race

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated that Lewis Hamilton and George Russell would have mixed feelings given the potential they showed last weekend.

Speaking with RacingNews365, the Austrian said:

"I think when you finish third and fourth, from where we have been coming from, then it is a positive race. Third and fourth are so much better than we had previously in the last few races, so that is good, but I think both drivers saw that there was more up for grabs.

"We could have gained a position or two, and that is why there is a kind of negative sentiment, but if you would have given them third and fourth before the weekend, they probably would have taken it. I mean in FP3, Lewis put up a lap that was out of this world, and then his long run was stratospheric, galactical."

Lewis Hamilton in his post-race comments called the Canadian GP performance as 'one of the worst' of his career despite getting his best result of the season.

The seven-time world champion has been second-best to his teammate George Russell for most of the season, and their qualifying deficit now stands at 8-1. Hamilton had the opportunity to take back control of the situation in Canada but failed to do so after not capitalizing in the qualifying on Saturday.