Hamilton questions Mercedes strategy at Suzuka

Lewis Hamilton has blasted the Mercedes strategy at the Japanese Grand Prix, which slowed him down significantly and almost cost him a place to Carlos Sainz.

Hamilton was given an instruction to slow down in the closing stages to give his teammate George Russell a DRS as a defensive measure against the attacks of the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz.

However, the decision backfired as Sainz was able to get past Russell and nearly did so with Hamilton.

“When they suggested it to me, I knew that they obviously thought of it from the last race but it made no sense.” Hamilton said.

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“I needed to get as far clear as possible. I was on my way, around two seconds ahead and they asked me to give George DRS and I had to come off the gas down the straight.”

‘Then he got overtaken by Sainz. He then got past George and he was right on my tail which was not ideal.”

Hamilton eventually finished 5th on a difficult day, while his teammate came home in 7th.