Hamilton: Won because we were quickest

Lewis Hamilton insists it was pace not tyre pressure that resulted in his emphatic win in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver took the chequered flag by 25 seconds ahead Sebastian Vettel at Monza, however, moments later it emerged that his victory was under threat.

Hamilton and his Mercedes team were called before the Italian stewards after the Brit's rear-left tyre was found to be under pressure on the grid.

According to the FIA checks, Hamilton's tyre was 0.3 PSI below the prescribed minimum while his team-mate Nico Rosberg's was 1.1 PSI too low.

Hamilton, however, insists that had no bearing on his victory and the stewards have agreed.

"Formula 1 is about running to the maximum. Every single driver and every single car here, there are limits on lots of things – weight and all sorts – and they run to the bare minimum," he told Sky Sports F1.

"All the time it's above, but as low as we can go. So if it's 20, we'll be 20.1…or 20.001.

"That's what Formula 1 is all about. And for whatever reason today – if it's 0.3 it's 0.3 – but it had no effect on the car. That small amount on the tyre doesn't do anything.

"It has to be a much bigger amount – 0.5 or 1 psi – to make a difference."

He added: "I'm sure people can prove it as well. Pirelli will be able to prove that it doesn't make any difference, particularly on one tyre. If it's all the tyres maybe you can argue it.

"It would be very much a shame. But ultimately that's not the reason why we won today. We won because we were the quickest."

The stewards clearly agreed with Hamilton as almost two hours after the race they confirmed the Brit's victory.

They decided to take no further action regarding Mercedes tyre pressures, ruling that they were okay when fitted to the car.