Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, representing Mercedes and Red Bull respectively, drive in close proximity to each other.
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin admits they could have been “tidier” with conveying their plan to Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Verstappen and Hamilton, positioned at P6 and one place behind, respectively, were the only drivers among the top positions to make a pit stop during the race, as the need for in-race pit stops was eliminated due to a red flag suspension on the opening lap.
Mercedes wanted to put pressure on Max Verstappen with Lewis Hamilton
After Hamilton pitted, Verstappen followed suit on the next lap and reentered the track ahead of him. This greatly annoyed Hamilton, who expressed his frustration over the team radio by questioning, “Why wasn’t I informed about the crucial nature of the out-lap?”
During Mercedes’ post-Monaco GP debrief, Shovlin clarified that their intention was not to undercut Verstappen. Instead, their aim was to equip Hamilton with a new set of tires to narrow the gap, dissuade Verstappen from making a pit stop, and ultimately provide Hamilton with a substantial advantage in terms of tire longevity.
Shovlin concedes that they could have been “more organized” in conveying that message to Hamilton, in order to ensure that he accelerated during his out lap and prevented Verstappen from having an opportunity for a pit-stop.
In the race, Verstappen would secure P6 while Hamilton would come in P7. Meanwhile, their Mercedes teammate George Russell, who chose not to make a pit stop, would claim P5 ahead of the two.
Shovlin stated that they had never anticipated being able to offer lower prices than Max. The reason being, if they were to pause and create an open opportunity for Max to step in, Max would not hesitate to take advantage of it.
Our initial expectation was for Lewis to catch up with Max, who continues without stopping. Max is using worn-out tires, while Lewis has a fresh set, enabling him to apply pressure on Max.
Although we had doubts about its impact on the race, having George as a backup plan could provide a sense of security if he encountered difficulties reaching the finish line.
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The part that didn’t go smoothly was due to our failure in instructing Lewis to go all out on that particular out lap. As a result, Max had the opportunity to make a pit stop since he had enough distance between him and the following car. Since Max wasn’t initially going at his maximum speed, he was able to catch up to George.
“He inadvertently created more time pressure for himself due to his managerial responsibilities, but he skillfully managed to overcome it by strategically stopping and getting ahead.”
We unintentionally found ourselves in a situation where Max ended up on a different set behind George. Although it was not the ideal scenario, as you witnessed, it didn’t seem like George was in danger of losing his position. He successfully took care of his tires and had good grip until the end.
“We should have been more organized and provided clearer messaging.”
However, the scenario would have unfolded differently: Lewis would have been equipped with new tires, enabling him to secure the fastest lap. This was one of the reasons we desired to pursue this strategy—to apply some pressure on Max.
On his home turf, Charles Leclerc clinched a remarkable triumph in Monaco, marking his inaugural career victory.
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