[raceweekendpromotion]Lewis Hamilton said his Brazilian Grand Prix victory felt like his first victory after the difficulties he overcame at Interlagos.
The Mercedes driver started yesterday’s sprint qualifying race from last place after being excluded from the results of Friday qualifying for a rear wing infringement. Having worked his way up to fifth, he was relegated to 10th on the grid for today’s race due to a grid penalty for exceeding his allocation of engines.He rose rapidly through the field to arrive on the tail of the Red Bulls, and passed both to score a vital win which keeps him in the hunt for the championship. Valtteri Bottas finished third, helping Mercedes to extend their lead in the constructors championship.
“What a race,” said Hamilton afterwards. “The team did an amazing job, Valtteri did a great job today to get as many points as possible.
“I was pushing as hard as I could but from last on the grid and then another five-place penalty was, I think, the hardest weekend I’ve had.
“But my dad said, he reminded me of 2004 when I was in Formula 3 in Bahrain and I started last and then I finished 10th and then I finished 1st so this one’s for my dad.”
Hamilton knew before the weekend began he would take a grid penalty, but the qualifying exclusion came as a further blow. He leaves Brazil having trimmed Max Verstappen’s points lead to 14 with three races to go.
“Coming into this weekend I never ever thought we’d be able to close the gap like we did today,” Hamilton said. “And then these things just kept going against us.
“But I think it just really shows, for everyone, just never give up, you’ve just got to keep pushing, keep struggling away and never, never stop fighting. That’s really how I’ve approached this weekend, inspiration all round.
“It feels like the first because I feel like I haven’t had a win for a long time.”
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2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
- Red Bull and Mercedes summoned to FIA hearing on review of Sao Paulo incident
- McLaren must “get back to scoring the results that are on the table” – Seidl
- Hamilton makes his second-biggest climb to victory from 10th on the grid
- F1 releases missing video footage from Verstappen’s car of Hamilton incident
- How Alonso and Ocon “pushed team tactics to the ultimate limit” to delay Gasly
F1 frog (@f1frog)
14th November 2021, 19:40
That was one of the best drives of the last decade from Lewis Hamilton, making up 24 places in 95 laps, and just edging Leclerc in Silverstone as the drive of the season. (But not beating Jenson Button in Montreal 2011, of course!).
I have never particularly been a fan of Hamilton, but one of the things that I liked most about this win was seeing the fans of Interlagos on his side. Everywhere we go this year, the fans seem to be supporting Verstappen, and it makes me feel very slightly sorry for Hamilton (it’s difficult to feel sorry for one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time!) when he thanks the fans and they boo him. For that reason, along with the championship situation, I wanted Hamilton to win this race, and it was great to here the fans chanting his name when he pulled it off.
jff
14th November 2021, 21:02
Great race(win), especially since RBR clearly has the fastest car ;s
Kiarie (@kiarie)
14th November 2021, 19:43
Vintage Hamilton is a very scary sight. the fizzy drinks merchants trying to steal a march on the silver arrows backfiring spectacularly is a future hollywood production. Against the odds, has any driver objectively ever pulled off such a weekend as this? If max doesn’t wrap up this title, will he ultimately just end up an over celebrated jacques villeneuve? Surely 44s lofty records will be a mirage then and ultimately, vettle will be the most decorated red bull driver of all time methinks.
eljueta (@eljueta)
14th November 2021, 20:56
I guess you should sell that to Netflix .
Jere (@jerejj)
14th November 2021, 19:44
One of his best drives, especially considering all things this weekend. Both DOTW & DOTD.
AMG44 (@amg44)
14th November 2021, 20:01
“Brazil win feels like first for Hamilton”
After 100 it starts from 1. What a race. A Hamilton Classic. 101 Race victories for the Champ44.
J3d89
14th November 2021, 20:20
A win like he is used too… with a clear car advantage
Omar R (@)
14th November 2021, 20:31
Come on, you need more than “the best car” to do what he did today. Where was Bottas?
papaya
15th November 2021, 5:15
Probably Bottas’s engine has already degraded, I guess next race Bottas would need a new engine? A new engine for Mercedes driver every alternate race?
MacLeod (@macleod)
15th November 2021, 8:22
While he drover very good the new engine had his advantage and it was too see clearly.
BasCB (@bascb)
14th November 2021, 20:25
This season really is giving us great races.
nandy
15th November 2021, 5:55
Isn’t every race hams ‘hardest ever’. The daft princess is so cringeworthy its hilarious!
Try not having a half to one second car advantage for the last seven years and he might actually have to try for once.
DeanR (@deanr)
15th November 2021, 7:38
Bless
Arnoud van Houwelingen (@kavu)
15th November 2021, 18:07
When Lewis got booed from the podium english press were all over it but when it happens to Max it’s business as usual and they don’t write about it?