Lewis Hamilton has described the mome🍌nt he bailed out of pitting in the closing stages of the Formula 1 German Grand Prix as the “most confusing second and a half”. 

Hamilton was instructed to follow teammate Valtteri Bottas 🦂into the 📖pitlane to stop under a Safety Car period - deployed after Sebastian Vettel crashed out in damp conditions - but a mix-up in communication resulted in the Briton swerving across the grass at pit entry to get back on track.

As a result, Hamilton found himself in a lead he never relinquished as he claimed a remarkableꦯ victory despite starting from 14th on the grid. He was summoned to the stewards following the podium ceremony over a possible breach of regulations, but the win remained intact as Hamilton received his first reprimand of the season. 

“It was the most confusing second and a half and I honestly thought I was going to sꦉtay out, I was happy with my tyres and then they said come in,” Hamilton said when asked to explain the incident. 

“I saw Valtteri ahead coming in so I was like ‘are you sure a💙bout it’ and by the time we got in they were like ‘no stay out’ and it was literally twice, ‘go left, go right’, so I ⛄just slowed down and trundled over some grass.”

Ham🍨ilton stressed he was keen to ensure he returned to the track in the safest possible manner he could. 

“I made sure that I returned to the track as safety as I could,” he said. “Then you heard the radio afterwards and I was like guys, it was the most confusing couple of seconds with them shouting in my ear, ‘go left, g🌃o right’.”

Hamilton explained his version of events to the stewards before hearing their verdict prior 𝄹to conducting his post-race media sessioꦦn, in which he revealed the respect he has for the “hard job” they have to do.

“I just went in and just sa🌱id what I just told you,” Hamilton said. “They ask you to explain what happened and I was 100 percent open with them. I’m very rarely there. 

“Many times in the past I have been there a lot but I hardly ever see them now and I respect the job they have to do. They have the hardest job because every scenario is always different. I wไas open, explained how confusing it was, and they could hear and see how confusing it was. 

“It’s been the most emotional day, up and down and n💎o one ever wants to go and see the stewards This has just been an unbelievable day.”

Hamilton’s win, coupl🦩ed with Vettel’s first retirement of the season, means he has now moved into a 17-point lead at the top of the drivers’ championship, while Mercedes’ first one-two finish at Hockenheim sees the German manufacturer has leapfrogged Ferrari in the constructors’.