Mercedes have taken to Twitter to apologise to its fans after a strategic error on the team's part cost Lewis Hamilton victory in the Monaco Grand Prix.

The Briton was on course to win the race until his team pitted him after a late safety car following Max Verstappen's collision with a wall during the 64th lap, a blunder that resulted in him coming third.

"To all our disappointed fans out there, we feel your pain. We got it wrong today and that's the simple fact. We will grow stronger from this," Mercedes wrote on its official Twitter account.

Hamilton refused to criticise his team after the event, insisting that they have "done amazing all year long".

The pitstop error allowed Nico Rosberg to take first place, with Sebastian Vettel clinching second.