McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh has suggested Lewis Hamilton takes a different approach with Pastor Maldonado the next time they cross swords on track.
Whitmarsh was able to be wise after the event of what unfolded in Sunday's European Grand Prix when Maldonado t-boned Hamilton on the penultimate lap at the Valencia Street Circuit.
But his views are perhaps reflective of many given Maldonado has earned himself a reputation for being something of a hothead on occasion.
It was the third time the two drivers have clashed, the first in Monaco last year when Hamilton was undeniably at fault.
The latter two, in Belgium 10 months ago and again in Valencia, it has been Williams' Maldonado in the wrong, on Sunday earning a retrospective drive-through penalty that cost him 10th place.
There is an argument that on severely-worn tyres Hamilton should not have attempted to defend as much as he did in his bid to hold on to third place.
The 27-year-old vehemently disagreed, supported by Whitmarsh who said: "To my mind he didn't do anything different with Maldonado as with (Romain) Grosjean and (Kimi) Raikkonen, although it was a different outcome.
"It was Maldonado's fault, which was deeply frustrating, but Lewis is a racing driver and that's it."
Whitmarsh was somewhat pointed with his next remark as he said: "With hindsight you have to say if you are dealing with someone like that then you maybe have to take a different approach. You can't anticipate it really."
The incident could yet prove particularly costly given Hamilton is now 23 points adrift of race winner Fernando Alonso.
It also compounded yet more pit-stop woes for the Briton who has endured his fair share of trouble this season when it has come to changing his tyres.
Yesterday a new McLaren front jack system failed, forcing the team to scramble to use the spare, and resulting in a 14-second stop that cost him three positions to rivals at the time.
Whitmarsh added: "Lewis hit the front jack hard, which triggered it to drop, so it was an equipment problem.
"But the car should be able to hit the jack at 60 kilometres per hour without it triggering, so we need to make sure it can't in future.
"Ironically his stop before was 2.6 seconds, I think the fastest in the history of Formula One, so that is the fine line you are on and fighting, so frustrating all round.
"But ultimately, and obviously, that wasn't the most costly incident of the day for us."
With Jenson Button slow off the line due to a clutch issue, and still struggling to find the ideal set-up, McLaren are incapable at present of enjoying the perfect weekend.
It is proving a severe handicap in the constructors' championship especially, whilst Button has fallen 62 points adrift of Alonso after finishing eighth.
Ahead of their home race at Silverstone on July 8, Whitmarsh added: "It was one of those difficult days of motor racing when things don't go right.
"Maybe we've consumed all our misfortune and we will try and get it right when we go to Silverstone.
"We just have to keep at it, keep developing the car, master the tyres, look after them, understand them and score the points, and that's very difficult.
"So a difficult day, frustrating in a whole variety of different ways, but it's still a long old championship ahead.
"There is no reason why we can't turn this bad fortune around at Silverstone."
As for Button, who has remarkably never finished on the podium at the Northamptonshire track in 12 previous attempts, the 32-year-old is obviously hopeful of ending that jinx.
Button said: "For us the next race is our home grand prix, with home support.
"A lot more importantly it's a high-speed circuit which should suit us better than these low-speed ones, so there's hope. I'll be going there positive."
The title picture, however, is fast becoming a concern, although one Button will be putting to the back of his mind in just under a fortnight's time.
Collecting just six points from his last five races, Button said: "Sixty two points behind Fernando, wow! That's quite a lot.
"That's more points than I've scored (49), but at least I've another 12 races, so although I'm a long way behind, it is still possible.
"But I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about going to my home race and driving a fast, flowing circuit which hopefully our car should work well on."
