Esteban Ocon has recently sat down with GQ Sports to review old racing movies. While he was reviewing, he came across a movie that depicted the exact and iconic Lewis Hamilton moment from 2020. As he saw it, Ocon was quick enough to recall and react to it.
The Alpine driver was the guest this time to be with GQ Sports. As he reviewed multiple movies, it was time to review the $120 million production- Cars from 2006. Seeing the animated movie, he became nostalgic at first.
Since the Frenchman watched the movie when he was a kid, it sparked an emotional drive in him. However, while reviewing, he focused on a particular footage. The footage where the protagonist of the movie Lightning McQueen loses the tire.
As he loses a tire but continues to keep the place by having one less pit stop, Ocon immediately connects it. He connects it to the 2020 British Grand Prix, where Hamilton limped home to win. In a quite similar way to McQueen in Cars, as he says, “That’s happened in F1.”
What happened in the 2020 British Grand Prix?
The Silverstone race in 2020 was the fourth race of the covid hit season. It was all fine with Hamilton in the usual lead until the track became a tire eater. Jeopardy began in lap 13 when Daniil Kvyat crashed out after his right rear got punctured.
But it was not all, as there was more to come. After a scare from Kimi Raikkonen of Alfa Romeo, it was time for Valtteri Bottas. The Mercedes of Bottas got a puncture and was immediately overtaken by Max Verstappen.
In lap 52, McLaren’s Carlos Sainz faced the same fate, losing his left front tire. But the main drama was left in the last lap between Hamilton and Verstappen. The British driver was on his way to victory but then came the real imperilment.
As the seven-time world champion was on his last lap, his left front got punctured, and he was limping to take his Mercedes home. However, at that moment, Verstappen pitted to take the extra point from the fastest lap.
Having no idea that Hamilton is in jeopardy, Verstappen comes out of the pits, but it is too little too late for him. Even though the distance was 30 seconds with injured W11, in the end, the Dutchman couldn’t manage to pull it off. The Silver Arrows ace limped home to take the victory with just five seconds to spare.
Unreal experience for Hamilton at Silverstone
The 2020 British GP was an unreal and terrifying experience for the seven-time world champion. Speaking to the media after the race, Hamilton, who recently revealed the best race of his career, said it was the rarest of the rare moment.
He said, “Down the straight, the tire deflated, and that was a heart-in-the-mouth moment.” The Briton said, “I was just praying to get it around.”
However, the 38-year-old said he was chilling till the very end, with his race engineer, Peter Bonnington, giving him all the info. But he asserted that he had never experienced something like this on the last lap in his entire career.
