You nearly cost me victory Ron, but I forgive you (in some ways) says Lewis

Ron Dennis, the team principal, spoke to Hamilton over the radio just minutes
after the 23-year-old had opened up a four-point championship lead with his
eighth career win, saying: ‘Very sorry we made it a little more difficult for you.

‘We just wanted to give you the opportunity of driving a great racing car! Well done.’

Team orders: Hamilton suffered when the safety car came out

Hamilton replied, laughing: ‘That’s OK, Ron. I forgive you in some ways.’

Dennis explained that the decision not to bring Hamilton in when the safety
car was deployed halfway through the race was not made on the pit wall but by a
think-tank back at their Surrey HQ.

He said: ‘We have a strategy team in Woking and they made the call. But we are a
team and we accept responsibility as a team.

‘We decided that since Lewis had quite a lot of fuel on board we would leave him
out until lap 50. We expected the track to be cleared of debris a little faster than it was which would have allowed the safety car to come in a bit earlier.

'As a result Lewis was unable to rejoin the race in the lead.’

Hamilton was sanguine afterwards, though at a loss to explain the team’s
rationale. He said: ‘I think we probably should have come in but I don’t know exactly
what’s going on behind me and I have to have full confidence in the guys who
tell me what to do.

Winning mentality: Lewis Hamilton

‘I totally support the decision they made. We could have done a better job but nevertheless we were quickest and it just made my job a little bit harder. I told
Ron: “That’s what you hire me to do. This is what I’m here for”.’

Hamilton’s win, in his first Formula One race at Hockenheim, left Ferrari
scratching their heads. Boss Stefano Domenicali said: ‘This was not a good day and
there’s no point denying it. Our rivals are stronger than us and we have to work out
why without getting caught up in nebulous and superficial analysis.

‘For the first time this season we did not have the pace we had expected.’

Hamilton success was in contrast with the afternoon endured by his fellow British
drivers. David Coulthard (Red Bull) crashed with Rubens Barrichello (Honda)
and finished 13th.

Jenson Button’s Honda came last of the 17 finishers after he struggled with his tyres.
He said: ‘A frustrating day. I’m particularly disappointed after a stronger qualifying
performance. We will learn from our mistakes today.’