2013-04-16 10:05:26 +02:00

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7532449
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# Australian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton claims wrong strategy call lost him
the race
## Lewis Hamilton was left fuming after a strategic error denied him a podium
finish following the "drive of his life" at the Australian Grand Prix.
![][1]
Costly: Lewis Hamilton says a strategic error was to blame for his sixth place
finish in Australia Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Telegraph staff and agencies 12:48PM BST 28 Mar 2010
[Comments][2]
The 25-year-old** [McLaren][3] **driver's weekend had started on a low point
after [police caught him on Friday night][3] performing a burnout in his road
car shortly after leaving the Albert Park circuit, and things did not improve
yesterday as he struggled in qualifying to start only 11th on the grid.
But, following a chaotic start to today's race during which Ferrari's Fernando
Alonso was spun at the first turn, **[Lewis Hamilton][4]** immediately went on
the attack.
The 2008 world champion was in superb form as he battled his way up to third,
where he pushed Renault's Robert Kubica hard for second place.
But Hamilton was called into the pits for a second tyre change midway through
the race and when he emerged he struggled to match his earlier pace.
He still managed to hold onto fifth, and eventually caught Alonso, before a
late clash with Red Bull's Mark Webber sent them both skidding into the
gravel.
## Related Articles
* [Schumacher in 'please be nice to me, Fernando' shock][5]
28 Mar 2010
* [Button claims first McLaren win][6]
28 Mar 2010
* [Jenson Button's slick decision pays off][7]
28 Mar 2010
* [Australian Grand Prix: as it happened][8]
27 Mar 2010
* [Australian GP circuit guide][9]
25 Mar 2010
* [For entertainment, every GP needs a little rain][10]
29 Mar 2010
Hamilton did recover but his challenge was over, leaving him to settle for
sixth place.
Hamilton's team-mate** [Jenson Button][11] **made just one tyre change early
in the race and it proved the correct decision as the reigning world champion
stormed to victory after pole sitter Sebastian Vettel suffered brake failure
in his Red Bull.
"To sum up the race I think I had one of the drives of my life but
unfortunately due to the strategy I got put further back and then got hit by
Mark Webber," he said.
"I was in P3 and everyone else did not stop. I had already stopped once and my
tyres were fine but I was pulled in for a second stop.
"I then had to work my backside off to close a 20-second gap and by the time I
got there my tyres were destroyed and I could not overtake. Then the worst
part was getting taken out by Webber, which really was not cool.
"I was up to a pretty good position when I was up to third. That is what cost
us at least a one-two today and cost me a podium."
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh took full responsibility for the
decision but felt it was the right call at the time.
"With the information we had at the time given where Lewis was we felt that
was the right call," he said.
"In hindsight, if we look at how the race played out then if Lewis could have
made those tyres last he could have finished at least second today and we
could have had a one-two.
"It was a fantastic drive by Lewis. We as a team made the decision and I have
to be accountable for that. I am disappointed with the outcome but I am not
disappointed with the process. I feel it was the right decision at the time."
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Telegraph
## [Lewis Hamilton][4]
* ### [Sport »][17]
* ### [Motorsport »][18]
* ### [Formula One »][19]
* ### [McLaren »][3]
* ### [F1 News »][20]
In sport
[![Formula One 2011: drivers' and constructors' world championships standings
- Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton][21] ][22]
### [F1 2011: standings][22]
[![Formula One, 2011: Team by Team guide: Red Bull][23] ][24]
### [F1 2011: team-by-team guide][24]
[![][25] ][26]
### [F1 2011: full race schedule][26]
[![Follow Telegraph Sport on Twitter][27]][28]
### [Follow Telegraph Sport on Twitter][28]
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* ## [LEWIS HAMILTON ACTION PHTOS »][29]
Lewis Hamilton action photos: The best full-colour Lewis Hamilton action
photos.
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![][30]
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## LEWIS HAMILTON LINKS
### [Lewis Hamilton on the web][4]
[Lewis Hamilton][33] | [SecretLewis.com][34] | [@SecretLewis][35]
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