Hamilton calls for pit-stop review by McLaren
The British-based team have experienced several problematic pit stops since the start of the season on, including one for Jenson Button last Sunday in China owing to a sticky wheel nut – which cost the Briton any realistic hope of overhauling Nico Rosberg for victory.
In Bahrain on Sunday similar problems with left-rear wheel nuts cost Hamilton chunks of time at both his first and second stops which sent him spiraling down the order.
Amid general problems for the team to replicate the kind of pace they had hitherto shown all season in the hot conditions, Hamilton ultimately finished down in eighth and afterwards told Sky Sports F1 that an inquest into the pit-stop problems was needed.
"There should be [an investigation] because we gave a lot of points away today which championships are lost from," he told Natalie Pinkham.
"So we have to try and make sure we pick up on the next race because we can't afford to lose points like we did today."
To illustrate his point, Hamilton's lowly finish meant he lost the lead of the world championship to reigning title holder Sebastian Vettel following the German's first win of the season on Sunday. Sky Sports