F1 News: Lewis Hamilton – “There’s only one time” the rules weren’t followed

The main talking point of the Italian GP quickly became the conclusion of the race, which took place behind a safety car after a late retirement.

Plenty of debate soon followed about whether the FIA took the correct course of action or whether deploying a red flag would have been the more appropriate decision.

Comparisons were quickly drawn to Abu Dhabi when the safety car was prematurely brought into the pits with one lap to go in the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the championship.

Speaking to Sky Italy post-race (as quoted by Sky F1), Hamilton made comparisons between the Italian GP and the finish to the 2021 championship in Abu Dhabi:

“I’m not angry… I mean, that is the rule. It always brings memories back – those are the rules.

“There’s only one time in the history of the sport where they haven’t done the rules like that today, and that’s the one where it changed the result of the championship. But it is what it is.”

The Briton also discussed his race overall in Monza, which consisted of damage limitation as he climbed up the field:

“No, I’m not satisfied with the beginning of the race. I think I had a good start, I was very cautious at the beginning, and then I saw some people collect, so I had to go left. 

“And when I went left, I went over the big sausage kerb, and I lost a few spaces, and then I got stuck behind the Alpha Tauri for a long time. 

“It took me longer to get passed people than I hoped, but I struggled in general with the balance of the car in those moments on that medium tyre.

“But at the end, it was much better coming through. Fifth is the best we could have done today.”