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Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) won the Formula 1 British GP after a spectacular race disrupted by rain on Sunday at the Silverstone circuit. The Briton, who had not won since Saudi Arabia in December 2021, had to wait 57 Grands Prix to claim the 104th victory of his career. He beat Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and another Briton, Lando Norris (McLaren).
Hamilton, who started second behind team-mate George Russell, who was forced to retire with a hydraulic problem, took a record ninth win at his home track of Silverstone, his 13th consecutive podium at the circuit. Emotions ran high for the 39-year-old, who will join Ferrari next year after 12 seasons at Mercedes. He burst into tears in his seat at the end of the race and took a few minutes to get out of his car, holding his head, before jumping into the arms of his team members and giving his father a long and emotional hug.
The Silver Arrows return to the forefront
“Since 2021 I have always fought to stay focused on my mission in this incredible team, it was my last GP here with them, I love them so much and I wanted to do well. Of course, there is no better feeling to finish first here in front of all my fans,” he said, in tears, before receiving his trophy. “I have always had great people around me, people who supported me like Toto (Wolff, the team boss), the employees at the factory, thank you to the whole team, my friends and my supporters all over the world. It’s incredible,” he added before listening to God save the King from the top step of the podium.
Hamilton thus confirms the return to the forefront of the Silver Arrows, a week after the success in Austria of Russell, who had taken advantage of a collision between Norris and Verstappen in front of him. Sunday, he had taken the lead a third of the way through the race, getting the better of his teammate on lap 18, but he was unable to resist the comeback of Norris, who had dispossessed him of the lead two laps later, before the rain made its appearance.
But a pit stop that was too late and poorly executed by McLaren when the sun had returned allowed Hamilton to become the leader again with 12 laps to go. He then managed to contain his compatriot, before resisting Verstappen’s comeback. The Dutchman, who had started off badly but who benefited from the excellent management of his team, took advantage of this to increase his championship lead by three points, where he is now 84 points ahead of Norris. Monaco’s Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), only 14th on Sunday after the poor choices made by the Scuderia, is third, 105 lengths behind.
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