SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Lewis Hamilton took full responsibility for the accident that saw him fail to set a time in qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The incident occurred at Turn 7 as Hamilton lost the rear of the car and slid across the run-off into the barriers. Speaking on Saturday night, Hamilton was willing to take the blame for the uncharacteristic error, but said low tyre pressures may have resulted in the floor of the car grinding along the track and stalling the diffuser.
"You can see in the replay that the car is bottoming through the whole corner and often when it bottoms it stalls the floor," he explained. "That often happens when the tyres are cold, but these things happen.
"But the grip felt good and that's why I took the speed into the corner. I hadn't gone in there any quicker than I had done before or anything like that. But still, it's my fault and I take full responsibility for it."
Although Hamilton secured his fourth title two weeks ago in Mexico, he said the mistake was still painful as he aimed for victories at the two remaining races.
"It feels the same as it would feel at any other point in the season," Hamilton said. "It's less painful because obviously the championship is done, but I still feel it just as much. I take so much pride in my commitment and how I drive and I've not made any mistakes all year. It's been a long time since I put the car in the wall. But it happens and once it happens there is no point in dwelling on it.
"All I can do is keep my head high, move forward and it had been a good weekend up until then so I think hopefully you can tell I've not lifted off the gas and am backing off -- I was going for it.
"I'm human still and s--- happens and you just move forward, try to rebuild and grow from it. I will naturally grow from it and I hope I can get back in the points for the team tomorrow. While the championship is also done for the team, it's still my job and I want to get these points for the guys and a good result."
Hamilton will start from the pit lane after Mercedes opted to change the specification of a number of parts on his car. Among those changed parts was the power unit, which will feature a new engine, MGU-H and turbo of the latest specification. Due to the cycle of parts in the final few races, Hamilton had been running the previous specification of power unit when he crashed in qualifying.