BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg remain at odds over rules regarding yellow flags and how they were applied to Rosberg's pole position lap at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Rosberg claimed pole position after setting the fastest middle sector of the session while double-waved yellow flags were being flown at Turn 8. Although the situation appeared to be cleared up by a stewards' investigation on Saturday night, the issue was still a sensitive one for the Mercedes drivers after Sunday's race, with the debate spilling into the evening's press conferences as Hamilton continued to argue that further clarification was needed.
Speaking to the media in the Mercedes motorhome on Sunday night, Hamilton revealed he spoke to FIA race director Charlie Whiting the previous evening to seek clarification over the legality of Rosberg's pole position lap. The incident was then investigated by the stewards late on Saturday night, ultimately resulting in a decision to take no further action against Rosberg.
When it was put to Hamilton that his comments on Saturday may have encouraged Whiting to call for a stewards' investigation, he said: "I don't believe I influenced the stewards' inquiry, but I spoke to Charlie for clarification because the next scenario when I'm in the same position, all I have to do is lose a tenth in a corner and even if there is a car facing me, all I have to do is lose a tenth."
The debate centres around the interpretation of the FIA's International Sporting Code which calls for drivers to "reduce speed significantly ... and be prepared to change direction or stop" under double-waved yellow flags. Rosberg was able to prove he lifted off the throttle 30 metres earlier than usual as he approached double-waved yellow flags at Turn 8, losing just over 0.1s of lap time, before getting back on the throttle at the apex of the corner as the green flag was flown.
But Hamilton, who had encountered the double-waved yellow flags before Rosberg and aborted his lap, still believes his teammate did not slow enough. Speaking in the post-race press conference after his victory -- and with Rosberg sat directly next to him -- he gave a lengthily explanation as to why he felt Rosberg's actions were wrong.
"Well the stewards need to come up with some kind of solution," he said. "In the whole 23 years of racing it's been, if it's a yellow flag, you slow down and if it's double yellow flags you be prepared to stop.
"Nico was doing the same speed at the apex that I was doing on the previous timed lap, so if there happened to be a car that spun, or a marshal on the track, it would have been pretty hard for him to slow down. The fact that he didn't get penalised for it means that we need to be careful here, because the message that we are sending, not only to the drivers here but also to the drivers in the lower categories... It's now possible for you to only lose one tenth of a second in a double waved yellow flag section, which is one of the most dangerous scenarios, so they need to clear that up.
"Before it was two tenths you were supposed to lose with one yellow flag and half a second with two yellow flags, that's where it wasn't the case yesterday and there was no penalty, so going to into the next race, we could be battling for pole position and we see double yellow flags and we only know we have to do a small lift and lose one tenth of a second and we will be fine, and go purple in the sector.
"That's why it does need to be clarified and I'm sure Charlie and the stewards are going to do so, because it needs to be clear."
Before the next question was asked in the press conference, Rosberg gave his own version of events.
"Can I respond?" he said. "Thank you for making that statement [Lewis]. What you have to do with a double yellow is significantly reduce your speed, and make sure you go safe, and I went 20km/h slower into that corner. 20km/h is a different world in an F1 car, 20km/h you are going proper slow and everything is safe and that's how I did my speed and lifted off 30 meters before my braking point.
"I was just rolling there 20km/h slower until I got to the apex, then of course when you are at the apex, I would have a much tighter line because I went slow so that I could accelerate again. Definitely I significantly reduced my speed and that's what it says you need to do and that's why for the stewards that was completely acceptable. It was very, very obvious what I did, very clear and of course on a drying track you are going to get faster every lap.
"It's not like the track was consistent. On a drying track it's irrelevant what the sector time was because you are going to get so much quicker every time you get out there, because of the wet patches, and when they dry you just go so much quicker.
"So in that segment I was slower, where there was the yellow flag, but of course in the big sector yeah I am quicker because the track is getting quicker and I am pushing in all the other corners. So it was a pretty clear case for the stewards and that's why I didn't get any penalty."
The debate is likely to continue at next weekend's German Grand Prix, with Hamilton saying he would raise the issue at the drivers' briefing after Friday practice.
"I will definitely raise it because knowing that on a double-waved flag all I have to do is gas it and be back on it and still go purple and still get pole while there is someone crashed, marshals on the track or someone in the middle of the road ... if can get round him by only losing a tenth then there should be no penalty."