Lewis Hamilton commits to Ferrari investigation over potential F1 mistake

Lewis Hamilton has explained how he and Ferrari will investigate their decision not to pit under either virtual safety car in the Australian GP. 

In the early stages of the season-opener, both Ferrari cars were toying for the lead with the Mercedes of George Russell, until Lap 11 when Isack Hadjar's Red Bull ground to a halt with an engine failure.

This prompted the virtual safety car to be deployed to allow marshals to recover the stricken RB22 machine, as Russell and team-mate Kimi Antonelli, in fourth, both pitted.

Hamilton followed his team-mate Charles Leclerc in staying out as the two assumed the lead of the race, but then also failed to stop during a secondary VSC for Valtteri Bottas's stopped Cadillac.

This meant both Ferrari drivers were required to complete their pit-stops during green flag conditions as they fell to third and fourth behind Russell and Antonelli at the flag. 

Reflecting, Hamilton felt this was the maximum result for Ferrari, but would still investigate with the team over its decision not to pit under either VSC.

"I don't have mixed emotions about it, we got a third and fourth," Hamilton explained to media, including RacingNews365. 

"Ultimately, Mercedes were quicker than us, and the positions and result we got were going to be the maximum we could get. 

"We'll definitely go and look and see whether stopping or not would have been better. 

"I definitely thought when I saw both Mercedes go in, one ahead of me, one behind me, I thought we should have come in. 

"At least one of us should have come in and covered, but we'll go and have a look and see what we could have done better."