Lewis Hamilton was kicking himself after second practice when he ended up in the gravel at turn six. However it turns out damage to the front-splitter was the reason behind the off.
The Mercedes driver was running competitively within the top five and looked set to improve before going straight at six and making contact with the barrier.
He explained afterwards that damage to the car left him with very little front downforce.
“I had separation of the front splitter, so it was pushed right up underneath and touching the underneath of the chassis,” he explained.
“I lost a lot of front end. I went into Turn 6, turned in and nothing really happened, I just went straight on.
“I was complaining of shed-loads of understeer as I was beginning my long run. I came in and asked for three holes in the front wing, which is quite a lot.
“As they did that, they changed tyres and I went back out. I was braking, turned in and it just didn’t turn.
“I thought to myself, ‘what an idiot’, but when I got back they explained to me that the front of the bib underneath the chassis was broken.”
