“Lewis Hamilton raced with three tyres for one lap and won”- When seven-time World Champion held Max Verstappen off at 2020 British Grand Prix

2020 was a year of Mercedes dominance, but it didn’t come without a few nervy moments for the team and Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton is the most successful driver in British GP history, with eight Titles to his name. His win 2020 however, was earned in spectacular fashion as he ran the last lap of the race on just three tyres.

The Mercedes driver started the race on pole, and had a flawless outing right until the final lap. He was in first place and 30 seconds ahead of Verstappen, and victory seemed inevitable. That was until the Brit felt something go off in his front left tyre.

Soon fans realized that his front left tyre was punctured, and he started to lose a massive amount of time. Hamilton’s race engineer Peter Bonnington (aka Bono) kept his posted about how far behind Verstappen was. As the lap progressed, Hamilton’s control over his W11 deteriorated, and Verstappen kept catching him.

The gap of 30 seconds was reduced to just seven by the time Hamilton crossed the finished line. However, for the Brit, he just about managed to carry his F1 car on three wheels around Silverstone, to win his seventh race in the UK.

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Another Lewis Hamilton masterclass to be expected at 2022 British GP?

The next F1 race on the calendar is at Silverstone. It’s a happy hunting ground for Hamilton, who has won eight races here, including the 2021 installment.

Last year’s race was a hugely controversial one. It saw the 37-year old make contact with Verstappen at Copse on the very first lap. It led to the latter going off track, and suffering a 51 G impact with the barriers.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc led the race for a very long time, but Hamilton overcame his 10-second time penalty to pass him in the closing stages, and win the race.

This year however, Mercedes don’t have the best car on the grid anymore. They have shown signs of improvement and have earned quite a few podium finishes. Still, in terms of performance and pace they are behind Ferrari and Red Bull.

Verstappen goes into the British GP next weekend as the Championship leader.

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