Mercedes’ decision to stop Hamilton several laps later than 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen ultimat🔯eꦕly proved costly in the fight for the victory.

Mercedes were weighin✨g up a possible one-stop strategy when Red Bull and McLaren commi🔯tted to a two-stop with their early stop.

When Hamilton eventually pitted, he rejoined over six seconds behind Verstappen - a gap he strugg𝐆led to make up.

• “🐼That’s what lost the race” - Wolff concedes strategy cost Hamilton likely win

Reflecting on the various strategies in play, Horner🃏 gave his view on Mercedes’ indecision between the🔜 two strategy choices.

"Before the race all our simulations were telling us two stop was the fastest race for us, so that's what we c🐎ommitted to,” Horner said. “The debate was do we run the hard [tyre] in the middle stin🌳t or the medium. 

“We knew going up against Lando that they'd committed to the two hards, so we knew going medium𒐪-medium it was crucial for Max to make use of that to get the pass done and get the track position and then run our fastest race to the end of the race. 

“I think Mercedes found themselves in no man's land today. They sort of attempted a one [stop], aborted, and then took the bꦅetter tyre, the 🍰medium tyre, for the final stint. 

“But thankfully we had justಌ enough to hold them off.”

Verstappen’s race was also com🦄promised by🌃 a recurring brake issue.

“He was managing a brake issue throug𒐪hout the race,” Horner added.

“You could hear, he wasn't happy about the 🤡brakes, and when you've got that issue you are building in a bit of a margin.

“So I think all his focus was on that a💮nd he knew very well what the gap was and he w🧜as managing that.”