Lewis Hamilton used a famous Ayrton Senna quote on going for a gap after he was penalised for a clash with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in a Belgian Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday.
Mercedes’ seven-time world champion finished fourth but was demoted to seventh after stewards ruled he had caused the collision.
“As Ayrton said, if you no longer go for a gap that exists, then you are no longer a racing driver,” Hamilton told reporters.
“That is what I did. And when I watched it back it feels like a racing incident to me.”
Perez retired, sending race-winning teammate Max Verstappen 118 points clear at the top of the championship, with Sunday’s main grand prix still to come before drivers can start the August break.
Also Read: Verstappen wins Belgian Sprint race; Piastri second
Hamilton said conditions were tricky, with rain delaying proceedings before five laps behind the safety car led to a rolling start, and the contact was not intentional.
“He was slow, and I went up the inside, and I was more than half a car length alongside,” added the Briton.
“I feel like we should not be deterred from racing. It would have been nice to finish fourth, but I don’t really care about finishing fourth, I want to win.”
Team boss Toto Wolff said it had been a clear racing incident.
Perez said Hamilton had run out of grip and crashed into him.
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