matt_b wrote: ↑02 Aug 2020, 19:22
El Scorchio wrote: ↑02 Aug 2020, 19:13
Just watching it again. Merc had (in F1 terms) AGES to call Hamilton in.
Plus the mechanics were all ready from when Bottas had just stopped.
What was the gap to Max at that point given that Lewis was backing off massively and Max had fresh softs? One slow pit stop and they lose the race so it was actually the right call because Lewis won.
34 seconds when Hamilton started the final lap. So it would have been absolutely fine barring a freak disaster of a stop.
You are correct that in retrospect it was a suitable if not ideal course of action, and there's always a slight risk at a pit stop, but if the race was only one corner longer then he doesn't win! They got very lucky as they must have known they were taking a huge risk with the tyre. Then again I expect if the race was one lap longer than it was, they'd have stopped him.
We could probably talk about ifs and buts all night though
With or without stopping he still wins the race