LH100 – Hamilton: “I wasn’t sure if I would ever win my 100th race”

His main rival in the championship starting last after an engine change, Lewis Hamilton was seen as the favorite at the start of this weekend.

But a failed qualification and a difficult start seemed to bring back bad memories of Monza. Finally, the British driver was able to refocus to move up from 7th place and win the race in a crazy finish (his 100th career victory), as a pit stop in the final laps to switch to intermediate tires allowed him to definitively take the lead over Lando Norris who had gambled on staying on slick tires.

It took me a long time to reach the hundred victories, and I wasn’t even sure it would happen one day (to win his 100th victory, editor’s note). The team made the right choice in the end, I am extremely grateful to all these men and women who are here and at the factory, because 100 victories is incredible.

Last night I was not very happy with the work I had done and I watched the replays several times in a row. This morning, despite my neck pains, I was really determined to do my best. And it was difficult because I lost a lot of ground at the start by trying to stay out of trouble.

« Lando (Norris) did an extraordinary job for McLaren. I’m not sure I would have managed to overtake him without the rain because he had a strong pace and set the fastest lap of the race. Fortunately, the team did a great job by bringing me into the pit stop (to put on intermediate tires, ed.). It has a special feeling to see my former team at the front of the field, they are doing a great job and they won the last race. Plus, McLaren is powered by Mercedes, it’s nice to see them back together. And Max (Verstappen) really had to do a very good job to finish second after starting from the back of the grid. »

Thanks to this victory, the Mercedes driver has taken back the lead of the drivers’ championship from the Dutchman by just two small points.