Lewis Hamilton said he was pushing to start on intermediate tyres before the choice of a slick compound led to a disastrous beginning to the Bahrain Grand Prix for Ferrari.\n\nHamilton had qualified second on the grid at the Sepang International Circuit, but his hopes of victory were blown as Ferrari chose to start both him and team-mate Charles Leclerc on soft slick tyres in the hope that the wet track would quickly dry out. Max Verstappen, who won the race for Red Bull from pole position, and third-placed starter Kimi Antonelli were among the 14 out of 22 drivers that started on the intermediate tyre, gaining a huge advantage as the slick-tyre runners dropped more than a minute off the lead.\n\nHamilton ultimately produced a remarkable comeback, having at one stage dropped to 18th, to claim a podium in third, but was left with "mixed emotions" after the race over the decision. The seven-time world champion told Sky Sports F1: "I said, 'look, there was a lot of spray on the laps to the grid'. I went to the pit wall and I was like, 'it's still wet'.
And they're like, 'yeah, but because it's been so long, it's definitely going to dry up real quick'.\n\nHamilton rejected a call to pit for intermediates on lap five, insisting the team had made "a gamble" they must stick with. The decision paid off as the track dried and a Safety Car brought Hamilton back into play, before he surged through the field.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing