Lewis Hamilton tried hard. But the 39-year-old found it audibly difficult to explain what Sunday’s narrow victory at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Silverstone ahead of Max Verstappen meant to him.
“That feeling when you cross the line… I’ve honestly never cried over a victory,” the Briton realized that the tears probably expressed more than he might with words.
He might no longer hold back the tears, especially when he hugged his father Anthony and mother Carmen in the paddock.
Anthony, who knows the career of the seven-time world champion like no other, called his son’s long-awaited 104th racing victory a “pressure valve” for good reason.
It had been 945 days since Lewis Hamilton’s last success. Up until December 5th in Saudi Arabia, the Brit’s career had been on track, before the season finale in Abu Dhabi changed everything just a week later.
With his eighth world championship title in sight, a safety car phase and the controversial decision to restart the race gave Verstappen the opportunity to snatch the world championship crown from Hamilton on the last lap. Since then, the man who has won the most Grand Prix in the history of the sport has never found his way back to the top podium. Until Sunday.
A victory as a legacy
“There were days when I asked myself whether I was still good enough, whether I might do it once more. Then I had the right people around me,” said Hamilton, who had already discussed mental health in the past, speaking of great frustration. “It often felt as if the best was simply not good enough. You then feel this disappointment.”
When asked if the Silverstone victory – his ninth at this track (a record) – will help with the healing process he has been going through since Abu Dhabi, he replied: “Only time will tell.” Knowing full well that in moments of great emotion it is impossible to determine whether old wounds have healed.
Toto Wolff helped to classify the Silverstone Grand Prix. “I think that the story ends like this with Lewis here in England, it is a very important one for him and the team,” the team boss told ORF, “at some point we will remember the Grand Prix and say: That was great.” Hamilton announced early this year that he will move to Ferrari following the season, where he has signed until at least the end of 2025.
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With the triumph on his favorite track in Silverstone, he was able to say thank you to the Mercedes team in his own way. He said he wanted to say goodbye “not with a low, but with a high.”
Hamilton managed to do this and, all in all, had many good reasons to shed tears of joy over a victory for the first time.
