Mercedes and their leading man, Lewis Hamilton have been the subject of intense scrutiny over the last season. Life in the spotlight hasn’t been easy for the once-dominant team as the expectations of the past have failed to live up to the reality of the present. And thus, in moments like these, when Hamilton felt the warm hug of support from his fans, he couldn’t help but have a vulnerable moment.
A home race always holds a special place for drivers. At the Dutch GP, Max Verstappen is welcome with passionate cheering and orange flares. The Spanish GP is a long carnival celebrating Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso. In Italy, the Tifosi paint the town red. But at the British GP, things were different.
While it is the home race for a lot of drivers, Hamilton was welcomed with a lot of love and support- something the driver so rarely finds in light of his flailing performance with Mercedes. Whether it’s criticism of his performance or the pressure of signing a contract- there has been a lot of negativity surrounding the driver.
Thus, when his 400,000-strong home crowd pulled up with positive energy and a bucket load of love, Lewis Hamilton was left with tears in his eyes.
Lewis Hamilton takes a moment in front of the British GP crowd
Standing atop the stage, looking over the sea of people cheering him on, Hamilton was left in awe. As chants of “Lewis! Lewis! Lewis!” echoed around the circuit, tears escaped the hero’s eyes.
Stunned and honored, Hamilton smiled. “I’ve just got to say, this is the biggest crowd I think I’ve seen here. I’ve gotten quite emotional seeing you guys because we’ve had a difficult past year and a half.”
Charged by the fans, Hamilton then stated, “You guys have just lifted my spirits. Now I know you guys are here, tomorrow I have to push.”
And that is the promise Lewis Hamilton has to uphold. Starting the race in P7, Hamilton isn’t a stranger to the magnificent race starts and marvelous charges through the grid. While catching up to Verstappen could get tricky, a little bit of luck and a whole lot of support could just have the driver on the rostrum, facing the crowds that love him so.
Hamilton takes a strong stance on Mercedes future
While the team’s performance has been a key part of Hamilton’s struggles, he refuses to turn his back on his people. Ahead of the weekend, Hamilton once again proved his loyalties.
Admitting to the problem at hand, Hamilton confessed, “It is taking longer for us to get where we want to be.” However, he remains positively optimistic. “I believe we will get there. We just have to work and chip away at it.”
Thus, Hamilton places his trust in the team’s hands. Thus, when it boils down to the delay in his contract extension, Hamilton assures it has nothing to do with money. “It is about a future and what do we want to do right and optimize. We are not talking anymore about duration, money, all of that; it is other topics.”
Therefore, it is safe to say Lewis Hamilton remains as motivated as ever; if not more. With the roars of his home crowd this weekend, and the love of his fans around the world, surely we’ll be witnessing the man in black overalls in all his glory, for years to come.
