McLaren are launching an investigation into the tyre blow-out that cost Lewis Hamilton a second-place finish in the Spanish Grand Prix.
Team probe tyre failure after Hamilton loses second-place finish
McLaren are launching an investigation into the tyre blow-out that cost Lewis Hamilton a second-place finish in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.
It is thought that a left-front tyre rim failure was to blame for the accident which plunged Hamilton's car off the track and into a tyre wall just two laps from the chequered flag at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.
The 2008 world champion climbed from the car unhurt, although he was left to rue the loss of 18 valuable world championship points.
Had he finished second, Hamilton would have stood just one point behind team-mate Jenson Button in the drivers' championship rather than 21 points adrift.
"For Lewis, it was just one of those days," McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said.
"He drove brilliantly, an impressively disciplined yet excitingly combative performance.
"He posted the fastest lap of the race on his way to what would have been a richly deserved second place had he not been forced to retire within spitting distance of the chequered flag.
"The parts will now be meticulously analysed back at the McLaren Technology Centre.
"Until we've done that we won't be able to make any definitive statements about what we think it was that caused the problem."
Blown away
The incident was not the first such Hamilton has experienced in Formula One - the record-breaking run of finishes he enjoyed at the start of his career coming to an end following a 175mph qualifying shunt in the 2007 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.
Several weeks later another puncture dropped Hamilton to fifth at the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul.
Hamilton said he felt "absolutely blown away" by his latest misfortune but despite falling to sixth place in the drivers' standings, he is looking ahead to the rest of the season.
"This is my third or fourth tyre blow-out in my career. More than most people have in their whole lifetime," he said.
"There was no warning, the car felt great, so it was a surprise and a very disappointing end to the race.
"Up until that point it was pretty positive. I was just cruising to the finish line and heading for some great points.
"It was looking like a great job for us, but then it's never over until it's over.
"Eighteen points and I'd have been right back in the championship battle, but as it is, I'm a little bit further back now.
"So I'm absolutely blown away that something happened on the last two laps of the race, but that's motor racing.
"You just have to keep your chin up and look forward."
Positives
Whitmarsh emphasised the lead McLaren and Button have in their respective championships in spite of the dominant performance of Red Bull and Mark Webber during the weekend.
"Naturally enough, all of us at McLaren feel a little disappointed to have lost 18 world championship points at the 11th hour," he added.
"But there are nonetheless a lot of positives we can take from the weekend.
"We showed strong race pace, we're still leading both the drivers' and constructors' championships, and the next grand prix is at Monaco.
"McLaren has won that race no fewer than 15 times, significantly more than any other team in Formula One history.
"We'll be racing on the famous streets of the principality in a few days' time, and you can be sure we'll be doing everything in our power to add to our win tally there."
