P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Sainz suggests Mercedes got team order call wrong: “If Lewis stayed behind…”
During the Japanese Grand Prix, Sainz found himself in a close battle with the two Mercedes drivers. George Russell attempted a one-stop strategy, while Hamilton and Sainz opted for a two-stop strategy, which put them behind on track. Since Hamilton couldn’t overtake Russell, Mercedes decided to let Hamilton pass, as Sainz was putting pressure on both of them. Nevertheless, Sainz quickly passed Russell, despite Mercedes’ attempt to copy his DRS tactic from Singapore. Sainz believed that if Hamilton had stayed behind, Mercedes might have had a better chance, but he also felt confident in his ability to make a move on Hamilton due to Russell’s slow pace in certain sections of the track. Sainz found it amusing when he saw Hamilton trying to give DRS to Russell, just like he did with Lando Norris in Singapore. He had to ensure that he attacked Russell aggressively to have a chance of passing both drivers. In the end, it was an enjoyable battle, but Sainz acknowledged that using his own tricks almost cost him his position.
Source: Crash
