Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff said “track limits won the race for us” on Sunday after Lewis Hamilton claimed a sensational season-opening victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Wolff praised his team for their strategy to help set up a sublime triumphant drive from the defending seven-time world champion – but gave credit to a set of white lines at Turn Four.
It was there, with three laps remaining, that Max Verstappen ran beyond track limits as he passed Hamilton to take the lead, but on the instructions of the race director had to hand back the place immediately.