Hamilton’s victory but still “not the clearest weekend”: the top 3 reactions in Shanghai

Lewis Hamilton: 1st

At the end of a Grand Prix led masterfully, the Briton did not fail to highlight the good work of his team and teammate throughout the weekend. He also seems surprised by the lack of performance from the Italian rivals:

« Valtteri was quick and getting a one-two is really special for the 1,000th Grand Prix. It wasn’t the clearest weekend from our side. I was far behind Valtteri in practice and could have qualified 4th or 5th! The start clearly made the difference. We didn’t know where we would stand against the Ferrari drivers… they were so fast at the previous Grand Prix. »

Winner for the 75th time in his career, Lewis Hamilton obviously had a word for his team, thanking all his mechanics and engineers “for the intense work provided.” The Mercedes team indeed left Ferrari no chance, as they have since the beginning of the season, with this third consecutive one-two finish in three races. A performance not achieved since 1992, with the Williams team.

Wins the landmark 1000th F1 race

Victory for the second Grand Prix in a row

Goes to the top of the championship standings

Not a bad Sunday for @LewisHamilton #ChineseGP 🇬🇧 #Race1000 pic.twitter.com/84Roskji6q

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 14, 2019

Valtteri Bottas: 2nd

Deprived of first place from the very first meters, the Finn did the job but was never able to catch up with his teammate.

« I lost the victory at the start. I had a bit of wheelspin… The car was behaving well and we had a similar pace. I couldn’t follow him in the dirty air »

Disappointed, the former Williams driver expresses his determination to take his revenge at the next Grand Prix in Azerbaijan.

« It’s not a pleasant feeling to lose the lead in the championship, but I will be back! »

What a weekend for VB! 👐 Ensuring a Silver #Race1000! #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/kySEZc2f3D

— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) April 14, 2019

Sebastian Vettel: 3rd

Aware that the Mercedes were untouchable in the race, the Ferrari driver is satisfied with his position.

(i) « I am happy to be on the podium. We tried to stay in touch but we couldn’t, they were too fast from the start. » (i)

The German also reflects on the internal battle fought with Charles Leclerc…

« I thought I could go faster than Charles, but it was a bit difficult for me to find a rhythm and maintain it, losing the advantage I had gained. It’s a shame he [editor’s note: Charles Leclerc] didn’t manage to catch up with Max at the end. » A small consolation, Sebastian Vettel climbs onto the podium for the first time this season. But this third place is insufficient, all against a backdrop of internal rivalry with his teammate.

Your top three in China!

Seb’s first podium sine Abu Dhabi 2018 🏆#ChineseGP 🇨🇳 #Race1000 pic.twitter.com/Rw9E4d5jPD

— Formula 1 (@F1) 14 avril 2019