Hamilton: 2020 F1 penalty slip-ups "won’t happen again"
Lewis Hamilton feels he has learned from his penalty slip-ups through the 2020 Formula 1 season, saying the stewards "won't be able to catch me out again".
Hamilton received in-race penalties on three occasions this year, the first coming at the opening round in Austria when he received a five-second penalty for a collision with Alexander Albon, dropping him from second to fourth place.
The most severe sanction came at the Italian Grand Prix, when Hamilton was handed a 10-second stop/go penalty for entering a closed pitlane. It dropped Hamilton from first to last place, meaning he could only revere to seventh at Monza.
Hamilton blasted the stewards after receiving two five-second penalties in Sochi after he was adjudged to have completed practice starts in the wrong place before the race. The Mercedes driver said the stewards were "trying to stop me" and called the penalties "ridiculous".
Reflecting on his comments in Sochi, Hamilton admitted they were made in the heat of the moment, and explained how there was in fact a growing respect between himself and the stewards.
"Ultimately you say things in the heat of the moment," Hamilton said.
"When you feel that you're swimming against a tide sometimes, that is I think a human reaction. Looking back, we can always look and think we can do things differently.
"I think we've grown. There's been a lot of growth I think this year, both as a sport and the steps that we've taken.
"Probably for myself, my experience - I rarely do get to see the stewards, but I think with the FIA and with the stewards, I think there's been a growth of respect between us, and understanding."
The penalties did not have any eventual impact on Hamilton winning a seventh world title, but did coincide with three of the six races he failed to win this year.
Hamilton said he still did not think the penalties he received "were the necessary penalties", but acknowledged "it's not my job to come up with what the penalty should be".
"I learned a lesson from it, and they won't be able to catch me out for that again, that's for sure," Hamilton said.
"I've just got to be very vigilant and diligent moving forwards.
"Naturally as an athlete, I'm always trying to find an edge, I'm always trying to find that extra, extra bit. It's a fine line between being over the edge and beneath it.
"It's fine if that one was over the edge. I learned from it, and it won't happen again."
Related video
Russell suggesting Williams changes after Mercedes experience
Ocon pleased with "very strong" progress across 2020 F1 season
Why 2022 could be Leclerc's best chance to end his Monaco F1 curse
Charles Leclerc's ill-fortune at his home Formula 1 race is well-established. But his single lap pace and over longer runs during Friday practice will leave the Ferrari driver upbeat that he can make up for his Barcelona disappointment by finally recording a finish and perhaps even banking 25 world championship points in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix...
The inevitable consequence of the Liberty F1 popularity boom
Sell out crowds at Formula 1 races are the norm rather than the exception these days, as grand prix racing is enjoying a massive boom under Liberty Media. But the Spanish Grand Prix highlighted numerous issues some circuits may face as demand for F1 soars
The danger for Red Bull in its Barcelona F1 team orders choice
OPINION: Red Bull walked into a team orders saga on its way to taking a Spanish Grand Prix 1-2 last weekend, where it took the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time. But its decisions have added an element of risk to later races.
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...