Chairman of the FIA stewards Tim Mayer has revealed their biggest mistake in Formula 1, which just so happens to involve Lewis Hamilton.
Mayer recalled one of the “stupidest things” he’s ever done whilst appearing on the F1 Nation podcast, where he delved into the shocking 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.
The 2016 Spanish GP is famous for two reasons; firstly, it’s where Max Verstappen won his maiden race for Red Bull, something which happened after Hamilton and Nico Rosberg crashed into each other.
The former Mercedes duo were battling throughout the opening few corners, before they collided on the run into Turn 4.
Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies
Hamilton was on the outside of Rosberg at Turn 3 but opted to try and get up the German’s inside ahead of Turn 4, where he was then squeezed onto the grass by his childhood friend.
The seven-time World Champion lost control of his car on the grass and crashed into Rosberg, resulting in the duo going off into the gravel trap where they retired from the race.
It was a shocking moment which opened the door to Verstappen, who claimed his first ever F1 win on his debut for Red Bull.
On that day, the stewards decided that Hamilton and Rosberg’s collision was a racing incident but it’s what happened after that Mayer admits is his “biggest mistake ever” as a steward.
Mayer recalled that Hamilton asked him how he should’ve avoided the accident, to which he started telling the British driver what he could’ve done differently.
Hamilton ended up becoming angry, before he slammed the door and left.
Mayer instantly realised he “wasn’t respectful” to Hamilton, as he was trying to tell the Stevenage-born driver how to drive, despite the fact he’s never driven an F1 car himself.
As a result, Mayer told Hamilton’s team manager to apologise to him on his behalf.
“My biggest mistake ever as a steward was in 2016, Hamilton and Rosberg started the race in Barcelona and they crashed,” Mayer said.
“Both drivers were out. We bring them in afterwards. And we decide no further action in the end.
“But Lewis says to me, ‘Well, what was I supposed to do?’ As a steward, somebody who’s never driven an F1 car, I started to tell him what I thought he ought to have done.
READ: Helmut Marko could be saved by loyal driver
“That wasn’t respectful of me, he got up, he was a bit mad and he slammed the door and walked out. Poor Ron Meadows, his team manager, went absolutely white in the face and said, ‘Oh, I’ll get him back to apologise’.
“I said, ‘Actually, Ron, I need you to go and apologise on my behalf because it was a stupid thing for me to do’.
“It’s maybe not my stupidest thing as a steward but I’m not going to tell you the other ones!”