Hamilton's Azerbaijan Gp: What Went Wrong?

Lewis Hamilton's performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2021 was marred by a mistake that saw him drop from second to 15th place on the penultimate lap. Hamilton accidentally hit the 'magic button' on his steering wheel, which alters the brake balance, causing his brakes to lock up and sending him down an escape road. This incident, along with a crash by his title rival Max Verstappen, resulted in both drivers failing to score any points. The race was won by Sergio Perez, who took advantage of the late restart to claim victory.

Lewis Hamilton's 'magic button' error

Lewis Hamilton's "magic button" error at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2021 cost him the race victory and dealt a blow to his championship hopes.

Hamilton had surged into the lead of the race from the standing restart after a late red flag period. However, as he lined up alongside Sergio Perez, he accidentally hit the "magic button" on his steering wheel, which altered the brake balance, causing his front wheels to lock up instantly. Hamilton careered down the escape road and slumped to the back of the field, finishing the race in 15th or 16th place.

The "magic button" is a feature unique to Mercedes cars, designed to help drivers better warm up their tyres and brakes during formation laps and safety car restarts. It does this by shifting the brake balance towards the front wheels, with the extra braking force producing extra heat that is then radiated to the front tyres. While this is beneficial during the warm-up phase, it is detrimental to brake in this way during the race itself.

Speaking on team radio after the race, a devastated Hamilton questioned whether he had made a mistake:

> "Did I leave the magic on? I could have sworn I turned that off."

Hamilton's race engineer, Pete Bonnington, confirmed that the "magic" setting had indeed been reactivated:

> "Yeah looks like it was knocked back on."

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff absolved Hamilton of any wrongdoing, calling it a finger problem and emphasising that it was their duty to provide him with a car where it is more difficult to make such errors.

In response to this incident, Mercedes implemented a short-term fix by placing a protective cover around the button to prevent accidental presses in the future.

Hamilton drops from second to 15th place

Lewis Hamilton's lock-up at the restart of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw him drop from second to 15th place. The incident occurred as Hamilton lined up in second place beside race leader Sergio Perez for the Lap 50 restart. Hamilton got a better jump than Perez but then undid his hard work by locking up and going straight on at Turn 1, dropping him out of the points entirely.

The Mercedes driver accidentally hit the 'magic button' on his steering wheel, which alters the brake balance, causing his fronts to lock up instantly. This saw him career down the escape road and slump to the back of the field, leaving the way open for Perez to win. Speaking on team radio after the race, Hamilton questioned whether he had accidentally left the 'magic' setting on.

The 'magic' button is a system used by Mercedes to help its drivers better warm up their tyres and brakes during formation laps and safety car restarts. It shifts the brake balance towards the front wheels, and the extra braking force produces extra heat in the discs that is then radiated to the front tyres. The system is usually disconnected for the race start when the brake balance returns to the ideal settings for race laps.

Hamilton's mistake cost him dearly, and he was left feeling humbled by the experience. He had worked hard to get back into the top 10 and was in a strong position to reclaim the lead of the championship. However, he remained positive, saying he would regroup and come back stronger.

Sergio Perez wins Azerbaijan GP

Perez started the race in pole position, with Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes alongside him in second. Hamilton had surged into the lead from the standing restart and looked set to reclaim the lead in the championship. However, he accidentally hit the 'magic button' on his steering wheel, which alters the brake balance, causing his front wheels to lock up instantly as he braked into the first corner. Hamilton careered down the escape road and ended up at the back of the field, leaving the way open for Perez to take the win.

Speaking on team radio after the race, Hamilton said, "Did I leave the magic on? I could have sworn I turned that off." Mercedes uses the 'magic' button system to help its drivers better warm up their tyres and brakes during formation laps and safety car restarts. While it is usually disconnected for the race start, Hamilton accidentally reactivated it as he formed up on the grid, causing the lock-up.

The win by Perez meant that Red Bull gained a full 25 points on Mercedes in the constructors' championship. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said he and Hamilton were "'destroyed" by the way the race unfolded, having been in a strong position to gain valuable points over Verstappen, who also failed to score. Wolff acknowledged that the team had not provided their drivers with a competitive package that weekend, which added to the frustration.

Max Verstappen's tyre failure

Max Verstappen suffered a tyre failure in the final stages of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, costing him a likely win. The Red Bull driver had led for most of the race but crashed into the wall on the straight after his left-rear tyre failed. This triggered a late restart, with Lewis Hamilton lining up in second place beside Sergio Perez.

Verstappen's tyre failure caused a red flag on lap 49, leaving a two-lap sprint to the finish. The race was won by Red Bull's Sergio Perez, with Hamilton finishing in 15th place after accidentally triggering the 'magic button' on his steering wheel, which altered his brake balance and caused his brakes to lock up.

Verstappen walked away from the high-speed crash unharmed but furious, kicking the offending tyre. The incident called into question the structural integrity of Pirelli tyres, but initial investigations suggested debris was to blame. Red Bull's team principal, Christian Horner, believed it was a tyre problem rather than a puncture.

The tyre failure denied Verstappen a likely victory and maintained his four-point championship lead. It also allowed Perez to take his second career win and first place for Red Bull, with Hamilton's mistake costing him and Mercedes valuable points in the Constructors' Championship.

Hamilton and Mercedes' response

Lewis Hamilton's unexpected lock-up at the restart of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was caused by him accidentally hitting the 'magic button' on his steering wheel, which alters the brake balance. This incident caused Hamilton's front brakes to lock up instantly, leading him to career down the escape road and fall to the back of the field.

Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, expressed his confusion over the mistake, questioning whether he had accidentally left the "magic on". He acknowledged that it was a challenging and humbling experience, especially given the hard work and dedication of his team.

Mercedes, Hamilton's team, also responded to the incident. Team boss Toto Wolff described himself and Hamilton as "'destroyed" by the way the race unfolded, recognizing the golden opportunity that was lost to reclaim the lead in the championship. Wolff took responsibility, acknowledging that they had not provided their drivers with a competitive package that met their expectations. He emphasized the need to improve and deliver a better performance.

Despite the setback, Hamilton maintained a positive outlook, recognizing the stroke of bad luck but remaining committed to regrouping and coming back stronger in the next race. He also acknowledged the misfortune of his title rival, Max Verstappen, who also failed to score points due to a late crash.

Overall, the incident at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix served as a learning experience for Hamilton and Mercedes, highlighting the importance of every detail in Formula One racing and the need to constantly improve and adapt.

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