Lewis Hamilton Triumphs Over Max Verstappen in Thrilling British Grand Prix
SILVERSTONE, England — Lewis Hamilton fended off a late surge from Max Verstappen to win an electrifying British Grand Prix on Sunday, marking his first victory since the penultimate race of the 2021 season.
Hamilton made history by becoming the first F1 driver to win at a single track nine times, extending his overall F1 victory record to 104 wins. His last win was at the Saudi Arabian GP in December 2021, a season when Verstappen clinched the title.
“You’ve got to continue to dig deep even when you are feeling the bottom of the barrel,” Hamilton commented. “My fans around the world have been so supportive.”
The win was a poignant moment for Hamilton as it was his final British GP with Mercedes before he switches to Ferrari next year.
“This is my last race here with this team so I wanted to win this so much for them because I love them and I appreciate them so much,” he said. “There’s just no greater feeling than to finish at the front here.”
The seven-time F1 champion finished 1.5 seconds ahead of defending champion Verstappen, with Lando Norris taking third place for McLaren, followed by his teammate Oscar Piastri.
An emotional Hamilton expressed his gratitude to his team over the radio and struggled to hold back tears while addressing the crowd.
“There’s definitely been days between 2021 and now when I didn’t feel I was good enough,” Hamilton admitted.
The race had high expectations for a home win at Silverstone, with Hamilton’s teammate George Russell on pole position, Hamilton in second, Norris starting third, and Verstappen in fourth.
Russell’s bid for a second consecutive F1 win was cut short on Lap 34 of 52 due to a suspected water system issue. Meanwhile, McLaren mishandled Norris’ tire change a few laps later.
Verstappen overtook Norris with four laps remaining but failed to catch Hamilton, much to the delight of the 164,000 fans present.
After crossing the finish line, Hamilton celebrated with his mechanics and shared an emotional moment with his father before acknowledging the cheering home fans with a British flag in hand.
The race began with Russell and Hamilton getting off to clean starts while Verstappen overtook Norris. Rain added an extra layer of challenge to the race, making the track slippery.
Hamilton overtook Russell on the damp track, with Norris then capitalizing on a Russell error to move into second place.
Midway through the race, Verstappen, Norris, and the Mercedes team pitted for new tires, while McLaren’s decision to keep Piastri out longer cost him a chance at victory.
Following the tire changes, Norris led Hamilton by just over three seconds, with Verstappen trailing behind.
In the final tire changes, crucial under 10 laps remaining, Norris was delayed by a 4.5-second pit stop, emerging 2.4 seconds behind race leader Hamilton as Verstappen quickly gained ground.
Despite the pressure, Hamilton secured the win, making it six different winners this season—compared to just three last year.
Although Verstappen’s win count has decreased, he continues to extend his lead in the standings. Verstappen holds 255 points, 84 points ahead of Norris, who has 171. Charles Leclerc is in third place with 150 points. Hamilton, despite his win, stands eighth with 110 points.
Carlos Sainz Jr. placed fifth for Ferrari, followed by Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg, and Aston Martin drivers Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. Alex Albon (Williams) and Yuki Tsunoda (RB) completed the top 10.
Sergio Perez, who apologized to Red Bull after qualifying a dismal 19th and started from the pit lane due to multiple part changes, finished 17th. Leclerc started 11th and finished 14th.