Pup wrote:Well, not really. Vettel started matching the McLarens the lap after Schumacher retired, and I doubt that's a coincidence.
But from the radio chatter, we know that the Macs were both on fuel settings 3 and 4, which we know from last year are their fuel saving modes.
You forget that after he was brought down to a low 1.Xs lead over Vettel after the first pit who was running soft tyres (and was only able to close because McLaren wouldn't let Lewis have new Tyres till Button said so), Hamilton was able to create and maintain a 2 second plus gap on that same stint while he was running the medium tyres.
That's the total opposite of what should have been happening.
When it came to the second stop, Lewis needed tyres, but once again literally had to wait for Button to decide go in first (hence the double stop), losing him time.
If he was actually allowed to come into the pit for tyres when he actually needed them, as opposed to having to wait for Button to pit even when Buttons pit window was many laps later, Vettel would not have been able to take second place. That's why Lewis wasn't smiling. The team screwed him out of where he should have finished.
Back on topic, Hamilton was able to create an extra second gap over Vettel on the slower tyres with the MP4-27.
When Vettel pushed behind Lewis, he extended the gap.
When Vettel pushed behind Button, he set fastest laps.