{"id":18647,"date":"2022-11-25T19:07:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-25T19:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/?p=18647"},"modified":"2022-11-25T18:50:22","modified_gmt":"2022-11-25T18:50:22","slug":"mercedes-reveal-if-carlos-sainz-incident-caused-lewis-hamilton-dnf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/mercedes-reveal-if-carlos-sainz-incident-caused-lewis-hamilton-dnf\/","title":{"rendered":"Mercedes reveal if Carlos Sainz incident caused Lewis Hamilton DNF"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The opening lap of the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was scarily similar to last year\u2019s race, with Lewis Hamilton being forced to cut the first chicane and go straight on to avoid significant contact with another driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of Max Verstappen, this time it was Carlos Sainz who forced the 37-year-old off of the track, this time making contact in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hamilton was launched up into the air as he went over the raised kerb at the chicane, similar to his incident with Fernando Alonso in Spa, but unlike his battle with the Alpine driver he was not forced to retire as an immediate result of the airtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With only a few laps to go in the Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion was forced to retire from the race, which led to some fans to speculate whether Hamilton\u2019s collision with Sainz had worse long term effects than initially feared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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READ: Max Verstappen breaks silence on him \u2018forcing\u2019 Sergio Perez out of Red Bull<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mercedes have now addressed the suggestions that Sainz was the cause of their driver\u2019s retirement, suggesting that it was a mechanical failure rather than damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere was surprisingly little damage from that first lap incident,\u201d explained James Vowles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe bib, the area under the car did take a massive impact as a result of it and that won\u2019t be good. The front wing endplate again had a knock, but generally speaking it was fine aerodynamically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened at the end of the race is actually a loss of hydraulic pressure and had not relation or no bearing to that first lap incident.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Christian Horner reveals Daniel #Ricciardo<\/a>\u2019s chances of replacing Sergio #Perez<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/AzyRZNPky7<\/a><\/p>— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) November 25, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>