Mercedes have revealed they were on the verge of instructing Lewis Hamilton to take an emergency pit-stop from the lead of the Mexican GP.Hamilton had badly flat-spotted his tyres, causing critical vibrations in his W07 car, at the start of the race when he out-braked himself into the first corner.I had a glazed right front so it locked up and I had no choice but to go across the grass, said Hamilton. After this the vibration was so big I was like there is no way I am going to make, Ill have to pit. That would have been my race over. According to Mercedes, the data from Hamiltons car was so alarming that they would have pitted him but for such an instruction having grievous - and potentially fatal - implications for Hamiltons fragile title dream.The vibration metrics were scary from the beginning, disclosed Toto Wolff. Simon [Cole, Mercedes track engineer] and I had a private conversation on the radio whether we should pit him for safety reasons.In any other race we would have pitted him and lost the race. We kept him out there in order to not throw away the championship for him. Both Mercedes run wide on the first lap of the Mexican Grand Prix, whilst Pascal Wehrleins race ends prematurely following a clash with Marcus Ericsson. Hamilton himself had reported the vibrations over team radio when the Safety Car was deployed on the second lap of the race but was then, to Mercedes relief and apparent surprise, able to build up a substantial lead over Nico Rosberg when the race resumed.Every single lap, every single straight, we monitored the vibrations. Our team did a fantastic job of keeping that under control and then we pitted him a bit earlier because the vibration metrics were going sky high and a suspension failure could have easily happened. It was not a comfortable positions we found ourselves in, weighing up the championship versus a failure of the suspension, explained Wolff. While Red Bulls Daniel Ricciardo argued Hamilton should have been punished by the stewards for cutting the first-corner chicane, the Mercedes driver, still haunted by his victory-denying breakdown in Malaysia last month, admitted he was simply concerned about finishing the race.Honestly I didnt even think about the stewards, Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. I was more concerned with the flat spot that was just rattling my brain for 17 laps. I couldnt see the braking zone for Turn One. It was such a big vibration I was worried the suspension would break.But an unimpressed Ricciardo criticised the leniency of the stewards, complaining: I also didnt understand the start, how you can be leading, lock the brakes, go off and come out in front. I think he deserved the penalty; I think anyone who does that deserves a penalty. Dont miss The F1 Reports review of the Mexican GP at 8.30pm on Wednesday on Sky Sports F1. British GP2, and Renault development, driver Oliver Rowland join Natalie Pinkham and Marc Priestley.Also See:The Formula 1 Gossip ColumnWatch Sky F1 on NOW TVMatt Szczur Jersey . With their top three point guards and Kobe Bryant all sidelined by injury, the Lakers signed Marshall out of the D-League on Friday before their home game against Minnesota. David Peralta Diamondbacks Jersey .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondbacks-yasmany-tomas-jersey/ . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Ketel Marte Diamondbacks Jersey . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. Andrew Chafin Jersey . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle.TAMPA, Fla. -- There are no more lingering questions about whether the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are relevant again.The teams four-game winning streak not only has catapulted Jameis Winston and his supporting cast into playoff contention, but the Bucs (7-5) also are tied for first place in the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons.Winston has cut down on mistakes that hindered the offense earlier in the season, Doug Martin has returned from an injury that sidelined him seven weeks to give the team at least the threat of a productive running attack, and a defense that has been a liability at times has rebounded from a shoddy two-game stretch to do its part in the turnaround.I just think were one of those teams that is starting to believe, coach Dirk Koetter said. It is crazy what confidence can do when you start making plays. It seems to build on itself.The winning streak is Tampa Bays longest since 2012, when the Bucs got off to a 6-4 start before losing five of their final six games to finish 7-9. The team is two games over .500 this late in a season for the first time in six years and sitting atop the division standings through Week 13 for the first time since 2008, when a 9-3 start was followed a four-game season-ending slide that cost former coach Jon Gruden his job.The Bucs have missed the playoffs the past eight seasons and havent won a postseason game since their 2002 Super Bowl run.It feels great, but we have not arrived. We have to keep playing one game at a time, Winston said after Sundays 28-21 win over San Diego improved Tampa Bays record to 5-1 on the road, compared to 2-4 at home, where the Bucs will host division rival New Orleans on Sunday.We have to take advantage of the opportunity. We cannot stop now, Winston added. We have to keep going. We have to keep playing. I believe we will because were playing so well as a family right now, and its really inspiring.The surge begins with the play of Winston, who threw seven interceptions and lost two fumbles during a three-game losing streak that dropped Tampa Bays record to 1/3 a month into the season. He has thrown for 15 touchdowns with just foour interceptions and two lost fumbles while the Bucks have won six of the last eight to fuel the push for their first playoff berth since 2007.ddddddddddddThe No. 1 overall pick from last years draft has emerged as the teams unquestioned leader in the locker room, too.I think theres definitely something to that, Koetter said Monday of the second-year quarterbacks ability to command the attention and respect of teammates.And theres different styles. Im sure Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, and were seeing one of the best in Drew Brees this week, they all have their own style, Koetter added. Leadership can take on many forms, but you also have to be able to back it up with your play. And, Jameis has done that.The Bucs are 4-0 since Martin returned from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him since Week 2. And even though, the leagues second-leading rusher from last season hasnt run for the impressive numbers the team is accustomed to getting, hes clearly taken some of the burden off Winston and receiver Mike Evans to carry the offense.Martin rushed for 45 yards on 17 attempts against San Diego, averaging just 2.6 yards per carry. He also scored his second touchdown of the season.Doug makes our offense go. All youve got to do is look at all the tape for last year, Koetter said. We spin a lot of stuff off of how Doug plays.Meanwhile, the defense has made strides since yielding over 1,000 yards during losses to Oakland and Atlanta within a five-day span last month. The have at least two takeaways in four consecutive games, and a rejuvenated pass rush sacked Russell Wilson six times during a 14-5 win over Seattle and two more against Phillip Rivers on Sunday.Coach Dirk is harping on playing complimentary football. Special teams, offense, and defense, and that is what we are doing, Evans said. Everybody is giving it all that theyve got. We are just trying to find a way to win.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL. ' ' '
