A painful struggle of two and half years finally ends for Lewis Hamilton. And what a day to end his win drought than to win his home race for a record ninth time. Among those who took notice is none other than his old foe-turned-friend, Sebastian Vettel.
The former Ferrari and Red Bull driver uploaded a story on Instagram with a picture of Hamilton waving the British flag after the win. He then congratulated Hamilton with a three-word message: “GOAT. Congrats Lewis“.
Seb spilling the facts…
What an emotional day… Congrats @LewisHamilton #britishGP pic.twitter.com/EwyARkdUDM— SlowestPitstop (@LordPerceval19) July 7, 2024
Hamilton started the British GP in P2 behind his teammate George Russell. The seven-time champion, however, had to be on the top of his game to manage the race start. Not only did he need to make sure to stay within striking distance of his teammate ahead, but he also kept the threat from Lando Norris and Max Verstappen at bay.
As the race progressed, nerves began to settle, but not for too long. Rain played its part in making things spicy, and spicy it got indeed. Mercedes strategists, however, were on top of their game as well.
Hamilton ultimately got the race lead when Russell retired but he still had to race Verstappen to the finish line. As the 39-year-old did that, the crowd erupted in a loud roar.
Peter Bonnington on how Lewis Hamilton beat Max Verstappen
Ever since the infamous end to the 2021 world championship, Hamilton and Verstappen haven’t fought for a win the way they did at Silverstone on Sunday. And for a change, it was the Brit who came out on top. Hamilton’s race engineer, who also shared the podium with him, spilled the beans on how they managed it while speaking with Sky F1 after the race.
‘Bono’ said, “I think it was the feedback on where we were with the initial stint balance. It wasn’t great. We knew where we needed to correct the car and I think we put the car in a good position for the final stint to allow him to push. We knew the front tire would be weak, so you just have to make sure you have enough front end in there to protect it.”
He added, “You know when it comes to the wire, he is the one that will manage the tires and get you to the end. I know as soon as I get told to shut up, the game is on.”
The British GP win marks Mercedes’ second in two consecutive races. While Russell was lucky to win in Austria after Verstappen and Norris’ crash, the one at Silverstone has come on merit. The Silver Arrows will certainly look to build on the momentum to join the likes of McLaren and Ferrari to challenge Red Bull for the throne.
