Mercedes tweaks W08 headrest design to avoid failure

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Lewis Hamilton missed an easy win on Sunday in Baku, through no fault of his own but because of a small mistake by a member of the Mercedes team.

The Brit's headrest was not properly attached when Hamilton slotted back into his car at the end of the red flag period.

The failure then later forced the leader of the race to pit in order to solve the headrest issue on the grounds of safety, a measure which cost Mercedes a sure win.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff refused however to apportion blame on one individual.

"This team has won three world championships and I will not point the finger at a single person," he said.

Back at the team's base in Brackley, Mercedes has looked into the issue and tweak the headtrest's design to avoid a repeat of the failure.

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"The pins that attach the headrest did not click into the socket," Niki Lauda told Osterreich newspaper.

"This was worsened by the heavy load caused by the air at high speed. We will do a redesign so that this does not happen again.

"This should have been an easy win for us," Lauda added.

However, Lauda did say he was happy for Red Bull to have won the race instead.

"I'm happy for them," he said. "It gives them the boost they need before the Austrian Grand Prix."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.