Swapping Components 1 groups is rarely straightforward, notably after they each appear like one another.
Lewis Hamilton discovered that out with amusing leads to Malaysia when he wound up within the improper pit field.
5
The Brit has traded in silver for purple this yr with a transfer from Mercedes to Ferrari, and that ought to assist him keep away from the sort of notorious confusion firstly of his final staff change.
Again in 2013 Hamilton was in a brand new staff for the primary time in his profession, having gained a title with McLaren in 2008 earlier than the British-New Zealand squad dropped out of rivalry.
His transfer to Mercedes got here with doubts from the surface, however he’d go on so as to add one other seven championships, the joint-most in F1 historical past.
Nevertheless, simply two races into his new job, he obtained confused in hilarious style.
learn extra on lewis hamilton
Known as in for a pitstop on the Sepang Worldwide Circuit, Hamilton did the standard, however headed into the improper silver field.
His outdated McLaren mechanics had been left baffled, and shortly cleared the way in which as their former driver realised his error and jumped out, heading right down to Merc.
Calling the incident on the time, pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz mentioned: “Lewis Hamilton has had a reminiscence failure and gone to McLaren!
“They waved him although, they nonetheless like him, nevertheless it’s not his storage! Get on with it Lewis, Jenson [Button’s] coming in!”
Cameras picked up the amused faces of quite a few McLaren staff, and Hamilton additionally noticed the humorous aspect post-race.
“I am so used to stopping at McLaren, it simply occurred. I do not understand how I obtained it improper,” he mentioned.
5
5
5
“I did a Jenson. He did that a few years in the past, however large apologies to the staff.
“I do not understand how that occurred. The groups look so related. I’ve been stopping in that pit field for years.
“A simple mistake and hopefully one I will not make once more.”
Hamilton was referring to former teammate Button who made a much more egregious mistake when he pulled into Pink Bull’s darkish blue pit field whereas sporting the silver of McLaren in 2011.
This time round it was a rival driver and McLaren staff principal Martin Whitmarsh additionally discovered the second amusing, saying: “Nicely at that stage of the race I used to be laughing.
“I nonetheless have an excellent relationship with Lewis and I am positive I am going to give him a little bit of grief about it.”
Nevertheless, he didn’t have a lot to smile about, as his personal No.1 driver, Button misplaced his fifth place and retired on account of a wheel gun failure on the identical pit field.
There was drama all around the grid, making Hamilton’s gaffe and Button’s retirement a part of quite a few iconic moments from the Grand Prix.
Hamilton was additionally the centre of some drama when his new teammate, Nico Rosberg, was compelled to remain behind him and miss out on a podium.
On staff radio the German was heard saying: “I’m a lot sooner than Lewis. Let me get previous him.”
Staff principal Ross Brawn replied: “Detrimental Nico, detrimental. Lewis’ tempo is what we’re asking him to do. He can go lots sooner as properly, so please be in management as properly.”
Rosberg instructed the staff to recollect his self-discipline, whereas Hamilton mentioned his teammate needs to be the one on the rostrum, and it was the primary rigidity on the way in which to an unsavoury 2016 title battle.
5
Nevertheless, their drama was nothing in comparison with what was happening additional up the monitor the place Sebastian Vettel was instructed to carry place in second behind Pink Bull teammate Mark Webber.
Vettel ignored the coded ‘Multi 21’ radio message, and went on to assert victory earlier than being scolded by Webber in probably the most tense cooldown room moments the game has seen.
Due to a lot chaos, Hamilton’s mishap was largely forgotten, but ought to he do it at Ferrari, it will not simply be the automotive that is purple.