The seven-time world champion won the 2024 British GP after a difficult dry-wet-dry race to score a record-breaking 9th victory at a single circuit, and his first since the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP, nearly three years ago.
And that hiatus for the driver that was the most races in F1 history clearly left its mark, as the Mercedes driver cried over the radio celebrating his 104th Formula 1 grand prix win at his home circuit.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the race, Hamilton said the “surreal” win in Silverstone left him “the most emotional ever” given the difficult circumstances in the build up to it, which even led to him considering retiring from F1 racing during the last two-and-a-half years after the controversy of Abu Dhabi and Mercedes’ continued struggles on-track:
“It is surreal,” said Hamilton. “My heart is racing. I’ve had so many amazing times here in the past, but when I came across that line something really stood to me, that I guess I had been holding on to for a long time.
“It was the most emotional end to a win that I’ve ever experienced. I’d always wondered why I never cried. You see people like Rubens Barrichello crying and I was like ‘it doesn’t happen to me’. But yeah, it hit me hard [today].
“I think after such a difficult 2021, just trying to really come back, and obviously we as a team have had a really difficult time, and there were just so many thoughts and so many doubts in my mind along the way – to the point of at times not wanting to continue.
“To arrive, and to continue to get up and continue to try, and finally succeed, I think it’s the greatest feeling I can remember having.”
When asked to expand on the reasons behind this latest win being so emotional, Hamilton pointed out the difficult and mentally challenging two years with an uncompetitive car, as well as the circumstances surrounding his exit to Ferrari at the end of the year:
“I think, ultimately, because it’s been such a long time,” he said. “It’s been 900 and… Someone just told me 946 days or something like that since the last win. And, you know, really challenging, you know. Difficult time, obviously, 2021 and then coming back in with a car that we’ve not been able to fight with for the last couple of years.
“I think just it’s been incredibly mentally challenging, I think, for everyone in the team. But I think just knowing how hard everyone’s continued to work, knowing how I’ve managed just to keep my head in it.
“And then with everything that’s happened this year as well, with so many emotions this year, obviously announcing that I’m leaving, and at the same time starting with a car that we didn’t feel that we could win with; to then finally be in a place where we win.
“And not only that, but at the British Grand Prix in front of my home crowd, honestly, it’s the most incredible honour to be standing on the top of the podium and hearing the national anthem with the King’s name in it, for example.
“You know, it’s the first time I’ve had that. So, yeah. And then also my family’s here.”
Speaking about the race, the seven-time champion said he expected the rain to be his “moment to pounce”, but admitted he was stunned by McLaren’s great pace in the wet, which they were only able to counteract with a timely switch back to slicks which got Hamilton back ahead of Lando Norris:
“I think the first stint was a little bit [low] on the wing at the front. So I was understeering a bit.
“But I was just managing, trying to make sure that [we’d go the distance, because you didn’t know how long you had to go. I was actually planning to go to a long way. I was supposed to go a lot longer than George [Russell].
“He had really great pace and he was trying, obviously, to break the tow. So I was trying to make sure that I stayed within 1.6, two seconds. And then I knew that I could see the rain was coming.
“And then the rain, when that rain came, I knew that that was the moment to pounce. And then we both went off and the McLarens came by. I couldn’t believe it.
“I couldn’t understand how they were able to generate so much heat still in their tyres or at least their aero, whatever. But then just trying to hold onto them. And then obviously that last stint, I think we timed it perfect.
“Getting that undercut on Lando, I think, was really key. And the team did such a great job with the pit stop as well.”
