Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@felipekieling / Getty
Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1
Ryan Smart
Lewis Hamilton admitted that he did something he had never done before after winning the British Grand Prix.
Hamilton took the chequered flag at Silverstone to record his 104th Grand Prix victory, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.
It was his first win in 945 days, with his last victory arriving at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
It was one of the most memorable sporting moments of the year, with Hamilton met by a rapturous reception from those in attendance as he crossed the line.
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The 39-year-old, who leaves Mercedes at the end of the year to join Ferrari, was emotional on team radio with race engineer Peter Bonnington.
Once he got out of the car, he had a long embrace with his father Anthony, who was such a key player in Hamilton's career up to F1 and his early years in the sport and continues to play a significant role.
The seven-time world champion was even reduced to tears in his post-race interview - which he believed had never happened to him before after any of his other 103 race wins.
Brazilian journalist Felipe Kieling asked Hamilton about whether he had cried before after a race, to which he replied: "No, I don't think I have.
"With 2021 [losing the championship to Verstappen at the final race], and these past few years, how challenging it has been, I think there's happiness and then sorrow within those tears. And ultimately, just gratitude. I'm just really, really grateful.
"Also proud of myself, and proud of the team. There have been so many moments where I didn't believe I was good enough or I was able to do what I did today ever again. That's a really tough thing to accept.
"Today has shown that I don't need to accept that."
After a difficult start to 2024, signs of a Mercedes revival have emerged in recent weeks with Hamilton and team-mate George Russell showing improved pace.
Russell won in Austria last month and then qualified on pole at Silverstone, but Hamilton overtook him early on and the younger Brit was forced to retire from the race with a water system fault while running fourth.