Lewis Hamilton may be forced to start tomorrow’s German GP from the pit-lane, after it emerged that his team, Mercedes, are going to change his brakes after a right front failure during Saturday qualifying. The failure sent Hamilton spiralling towards to the wall and suffered a 30G impact force. The Brit is reported to be in some pain.
After Hamilton changed his brake supplier for Practice 3 from Carbon Industrie to Brembo, but after the failure, Mercedes are said to be changing the brakes back.
It is said that Toto Wolff wants the FIA to realise that the change is being made on safety grounds, so that Hamilton does not get a penalty. However, the change would break the rules of Parc Ferme and the rules say that this is a pit-lane start offence.
“We have had a brake failure which means we are obliged to make sure that the car is running safe tomorrow,” said Wolff. “That means switching the brakes supplier.
“If this results in starting from the pitlane is not yet discussed, and we have not yet brought the decision on that. But we are discussing that with the FIA.
“And I would even go further: obviously many teams are running that brake material so that safety discussion probably needs to be extended.”
Hamilton is not concerned about his starting position for the race.
“I’m not really thinking about safety,” he said.
“Since the first crash I ever had in my life, when I was a kid, all I cared about was whether the car was going to be fine.
“All I’m caring about now is whether the guys will put the car back together again tomorrow and I’ll do what I do best – try and drive through the field.
“I’m not thinking about the brakes. I’ll get out tomorrow and try and push just as hard as ever. On the brakes, the first time I touch them, you just get over it.”
