• Hamilton wins British GP: as it happened
The 2009 champion said: “I am disappointed obviously in front of your home crowd you want to put on a good show and I wasn’t able to do that after a turn three incident and that is a shame. These things happen when you are so far back so we need to qualify better.
“I am still racing a Formula One car. You are optimistic every time you get in the car that it is going to improve . The next race will be a good step forward hopefully. We think the car will work better in Hungary so we are hoping for a better race there.”
• British Grand Prix in pictures
There was disappointment too for Williams, who for the first half of the race were in contention for an unlikely victory. Valtteri Bottas, who ended fifth, said: “In some ways it was an incredibly frustrating race, and others it was very pleasing. Both cars had great starts and we raced the Mercedes with genuine pace, but when the rain came I really struggled.”
Meanwhile, after another poor day for Red Bull which included yet another engine issue, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff left the door open to supply the team with engines in future.
Wolff said: “Until now they have been the enemy. Maybe there is a new enemy. What does it mean in terms of politics, in the grand scheme of things? I’m leaving the door open.”
Red Bull have a contract with Renault until the end of 2016, but they have fallen out publicly over the French manufacturer’s failing to provide a competitive engine.