Photo: Bryn Lennon Agence France-Presse
Lewis Hamilton now needs only four wins additional to equal the record of Michael Schumacher, leader history in F1 with his 91 victories.
The pilot Mercedes Lewis Hamilton crossed the finish line in a manner rather unusual, Sunday, at the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Great Britain.
Hamilton has been the victim of a puncture to the front left tire while he was in the lead in the last lap, but he was able to finish it and sign a third victory in a row.
“Oh my God, I have never experienced something similar to this in a final round ! he confided in an interview post-race. My heart has nearly stopped. “
The British did however record a seventh career win on the circuit of Silverstone, but a first closed — supporters were absent due to the pandemic of sars coronavirus.
The veteran 35-year-old only needs four wins additional to join Michael Schumacher’s all-time leader with 91 victories in F1.
Mercedes also won the first four races of the calendar. Valtteri Bottas won the first in Austria, while Hamilton took the honors of the following three in Austria, Hungary and Great Britain.
Bottas, however, has been the victim of a puncture also, with two laps to complete, while he occupied the second place. He finished eleventh.
“Everything was going well until the last lap, the tires were holding well. Valtteri pushed me, and then I heard that he had suffered a puncture, so I looked at my tires and everything seemed fine… I lifted the foot, but then I noticed that my tire was warped, and this is where I lost the breath. I was trying to keep my speed, and I began to pray. I nearly lost the car in the last two turns, ” exclaimed Hamilton.
As a result, the driver Red Bull Max Verstappen has climbed on the second step of the podium, to 5,856 seconds of Hamilton, in front of the Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.
“I was a victim of circumstances. The tires were deteriorating very quickly with 10 laps complete, and I have seen Valtteri to be a victim of a flat tire, so I jumped on the radio and I told my team that I was going to lift the foot. Then, Lewis has been victim of a puncture. I’m happy about second place, ” said Verstappen.
As to Leclerc, it was his second podium this season. A feat, given the quality of the Ferrari car so far this season.
“We have done our best today. I am very, very satisfied with my management of the gums, from the beginning to the end. The car is not up to my expectations, but I am satisfied, ” said the Monegasque.
Daniel Ricciardo (Renault), Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ake (Renault), Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri) and Alexander Albon (Red Bull) took control of the five following places.
The Quebec Lance Stroll, who left the sixth place, suffered a bad start and had to work hard in order to return to the front of the peloton during the race. The driver Racing Point eventually finished ninth. “I am disappointed to finish ninth, but we must roll up our sleeves and understand what has not worked, has declared a Stroll-by way of a press release. The car was more stable today, and I was expecting it to be more competitive, but we were not able to keep pace. “
“We need to understand what went wrong today and come back strong next week “, emphasized the director of Racing Point, Otmar Szafnauer.
The fellow-countryman of Stroll, Toronto’s Nicholas Latifi, who rocketed to 18th place on the grid, just the 15th position for Williams. Latifi still tries to register the first point of his career in the F1 world championship.
The Grand Prix of Great Britain made sparks fly right from the start, this is the least we can say.
The pilot Haas Kevin Magnussen was the victim of a collision with the driver of the Red Bull Alexander Albon at the exit of the last corner in the first round, and his car ended up hitting full force-the wall of security. The Danish emerged unscathed from the accident.
The Russian Daniil Kvyat, in Alpha Tauri, has also been a victim of a percussion track output to the 13th round. More fear than harm in her case, also.
Even before the start, an unexpected development occurred at Racing Point.
Nico Hulkenberg was not able to participate in the race because of a mechanical problem was discovered on his car while he was heading towards the starting grid. Hulkenberg had replaced at short notice the Mexican Sergio Perez, after the latter had received a positive diagnosis at the COVID-19 on Thursday.
“We have been unable to start the engine of the car @HulkHulkenberg, which prevented him from starting. We are investigating to determine the cause of the problem, ” wrote the team Racing update on his official Twitter account.
“It has been a roller coaster of emotions since Thursday. [The abandonment] has made me very ill, as well as the team. It was the worst possible scenario, ” she said Hulkenberg
It is unclear for now who will be the team-mate to Stroll next weekend, during the Grand Prix, which will mark the 70th anniversary of the F1 on the Silverstone circuit. The answer will come, however, soon enough this week.
“Nothing is confirmed for next weekend. It will have to wait a few days, ” said the German 32-year-old.
