Wolff understands Hamilton's angry team radio: 'There was miscommunication'

Mercedes commits mistake

“There was a miscommunication first between us on the pitwall that we got that wrong. It should have been ‘out-lap’ critical, trying to undercut. But then there was a debate whether any out-lap would be enough from the new tyre,” Wolff explained afterwards. Indeed, the difference with Verstappen at the start of the race was several seconds.

"So the message he got was at best confusing, but probably wrong," the Mercedes team boss added. "It should have been an out-lap critical and the worry in the background was that if we thrashed that tyre in a single lap, then that would happen later. But in summary wrong message to Lewis, this was the team’s fault.”

Hamilton eventually re-entered the track well behind Verstappen and eventually finished seventh. It earned him six points for the world championship, meaning he has now collected 42 and is eighth in the World Championship.

This article was written in collaboration with Sophia Crothall.