Lewis Hamilton looks back at his first F1 win in nearly 1000 days in British GP, as he shares about getting emotional and fightback from Mercedes.
It was a long wait for the seven-time F1 champion to get back on the top step of the podium. The last one happened way back in 2021 against Max Verstappen as well in a hot duel in Saudi Arabian GP. It has been a wait of 2.5 years for Hamilton.
He collected 17 podiums in between in 54 races but that elusive win evaded him when his teammate George Russell picked up two in that period. With Mercedes dropping behind in the pecking order, it became tough for the Brit to get that victory even.
It has been quite the lot of chop and change in this period to eventually make it back on top in a style and that too at his home event in Silverstone. The emotions were there to be seen for his family, team and the fans gathered to see him compete.
To add to it, this was his last race with Mercedes in Silverstone and maybe his last win – although there is still 12 races to go. Hamilton spoke his heart after the victory, relaying the hard work and also touching on if the win has helped him finally move on from 2021.
Special win, crowd –
Hamilton: “I think ultimately because it’s been such a long time. It’s been 900… Someone just told me 946 days or something like that since the last win. And, you know, really challenging, you know, a difficult time obviously 2021 and then coming back in with a car that we’ve not been able to fight with for the last couple of years. I think just it’s been incredibly mentally challenging. I think for everyone in the team, but I think just knowing how hard everyone’s continued to work, knowing how I’ve managed just to keep my head in it, and then with everything that’s happened this year as well, with so many emotions this year, obviously announcing that I’m that I’m leaving and at the same time starting with a car that we didn’t feel that we could win with to then finally be in a place where we win and not only that but at the British Grand Prix in front of my home crowd there is…
“Honestly, it’s the most incredible honour to be standing on the top of the podium and hearing the national anthem with the King’s name in it, for example. It’s the first time I’ve had that. And then also my family’s here. As for the crowds, I mean, the car’s so loud, so hard to hear, but I could see it, and I really could feel it. You know, when you go through Turn 7, it’s a long, long corner, and you see the guys on the left, or through the last couple of corners, you can also see this incredible crowd, or into Turn 15. It’s really, really an unbelievable feeling to be on that track. This is the best track for me, personally. I think this is the best track in the world. But it’s the fans also, the whole place, the wind direction that you have going into Stowe. That corner is incredible.”
Emotional after win –
Hamilton: “It really does, because I think, you know, I’ve had my parents come to a race here and there. We’ve had, you know, my mom was there when we won a championship. My dad’s been there when we won a championship. It’s always been just at a different point of life. First World Championship, you know, was incredible, but it was really difficult to absorb it all at the age I was at. I think this weekend, I think just within life, you know, your parents are getting older, you know, we’re travelling so much. Time with family is a constant challenge. My niece and nephew are growing up and growing out their cuteness. But I’ve had them here this weekend, and I think they’ve all… We all try to be there for each other, even at a distance. But to have them there and… I mean, I know I’ve always had their support, but to be able to see them there and share this experience, they wanted to be at my last race, the last British Grand Prix with this team that have been so incredible to us. I mean, Mercedes obviously supported me since I was 13. So it’s definitely meant the most today to have them there and to be able to share it with them.”
Losing faith, where does this stand –
Hamilton: “Absolutely. It feels different to previous races and particularly races where you’re having race after race after race or seasons where you’re having multiple wins. I think with the kind of the adversity I would say that we’ve gone through as a team and that I personally felt, that I’ve experienced, those challenges, the constant challenge like we all have to get out of bed every day and give it our best shot. And, you know, there’s so many times where you feel like your best shot is just not good enough. And the disappointment sometimes that you can feel, you know, and we live in a time where mental health is such a serious issue. And I’m not going to lie, that I have experienced that. And there’s definitely been moments where you know, the thought that this was it, that that was never going to happen again.
“So to have this feeling come across the line, I think, honestly, I’ve never cried coming from a win. It just came out of me. And it’s a really, really great feeling. I’m very, very grateful for it. I have a really bad memory, but I honestly, I’m really very much about living in the present, and this does feel… I don’t feel like I’m able to compare this one to any other to me. I had so many great moments and moments where I didn’t think that I was going to be able to win, like the first Grand Prix win here in 2008. You know, I qualified terribly, well P4, but it felt like I wasn’t in with a shot of winning a Grand Prix, and then it rained, and obviously I had that great feeling. So many moments through. I think being at your home Grand Prix, That’s the longest stint that I’ve not had a win, 945 days. And the emotion that’s accumulated over that time. So this one feels, could be one of the most special ones for me, I think, if not the most special one.”
Moving on from 2021 debacle –
Hamilton: “I mean, I think there’s a long-winded question. I mean… I think only time will tell. What I can say is that I’m not giving up. I feel like I’m making the right decisions with my life, with how I prepare and how I manage my time, the decision I’ve taken, for example, for next year, the commitment I still have to this team and the love that I still have for this team and the love that I still have for my job. I really, really love this job. And there’s never going to be anything that comes close to it. And it’s something I’m incredibly grateful for, to be in amongst these 20 drivers within this great sport that’s having such a momentous time. We just had the launch of the trailer of the movie today. I do hope… Honestly, when I came back in 2022, I thought that I was over it. And I know I wasn’t and it’s taken a long time for sure to heal that kind of feeling. And that’s only natural for anyone that has that experience. And I’ve just been continuing to try and work on myself and find that inner peace day by day.”
Remainder of 2024 –
Hamilton: “Yeah, I think hugely, hugely grateful to everyone in the team. I think this is just hats off to everyone. Niki would definitely take his hat off, but everyone that’s continued to work hard, everyone in the garage that’s continued to show up each weekend and not get downbeat by results. I think George’s win last week was amazing, but it wasn’t on pure pace and I think this weekend was the first time we did it on pure pace. Without qualifying on the front row. And then after that, even pulling in that first stint, both of us pulling away from everybody else. And then ultimately, I think with the conditions today, the drivers able to make a bit of a difference.”
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