Hamilton reflects on his milestone 105th win, achieved post his teammate’s disqualification.
Lewis Hamilton also commented this evening on his 105th Formula 1 victory, secured at the Belgian Grand Prix following the disqualification of his teammate who initially finished first.
The British driver was discontented at the end of the race, having not been informed early enough that George Russell would switch to a one-stop strategy; therefore, he had not pushed during his stint to close the gap.
Ultimately, the FIA’s intervention reshuffled the standings and Hamilton, finishing second, thus salvaged a win for Mercedes F1.
“It is, of course, disappointing for the team to lose the one-two finish, but there are many positives to take away from today.”
“The car performed well, and we had a better pace than expected. Several cars seemed similar in terms of performance, but once we took the lead, we were able to maintain it. We committed to a two-stop strategy and covered those who were following us directly. George managed to make the one-stop strategy work, although I closed in on him in the final laps once I finally knew he would not stop again. But it was too late, and I could not overtake him in the dirty air.”
“I feel sorry for George, and we do not want to win a race due to a disqualification, but we have been back in the fight for wins for a few races now. It’s incredibly competitive at the moment, so we will have to work hard to contend for victories more consistently. Nevertheless, we can approach the summer break with momentum and a positive attitude.”
Russell himself offered a final word before leaving the paddock for a well-deserved break.
“It’s heartbreaking to be disqualified from today’s race. This Grand Prix had been incredible for us, as we managed to make the one-stop strategy work. In what turned out to be my last stint, the tyres just kept getting better. I nursed them at the start, and as we progressed, I became more and more convinced that we could make it to the end with them. It was a risk worth taking and it seemed to have paid off.”
“Despite the disqualification, I am, of course, proud to have crossed the line first. It’s also a good thing that the team managed to secure the victory with Lewis. He drove a great race and was the fastest car on the two-stop strategy. Although I am incredibly disappointed, I know we will bounce back stronger after the summer break, starting in Zandvoort.”
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Hamilton Clinches 105th Victory Following FIA Ruling Hamilton Clinches 105th Victory Following FIA Ruling
