Hamilton triumphs at Silverstone, admits fears of never winning again

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

SILVERSTONE, England -- Lewis Hamilton, visibly overwhelmed by emotion, revealed his doubts about winning another Formula One race after clinching victory at the British Grand Prix. The triumph marked his record-extending 104th career win and his ninth at Silverstone, the first since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in December 2021.

In what turned out to be a dramatic race, Hamilton managed to secure his final win on home soil before his much-anticipated move to Ferrari next season. Following the race, an emotional Hamilton was heard over the team radio, his voice cracking, encapsulating the significance of the victory.

The post-race celebration saw Hamilton sharing a heartfelt embrace with his father, Anthony Hamilton. "Yeah, I can't stop crying," Hamilton admitted. "It's been since 2021. Every day, getting up, trying to fight, to train, to put my mind to the task, and work as hard as I can with this amazing team."

Reflecting on his doubts, Hamilton said, "Absolutely. The feeling, it feels different to previous races, and particularly races where you're having race after race after race, or seasons where you're having multiple wins. I think with the adversity we've gone through as a team, and that I personally felt that I've experienced, those challenges, the constant challenge like we all have to get up out of bed every day and give it our best shot.

"There are so many times when you feel like your best shot is not good enough, and the disappointment sometimes that you can feel. We live in a time where mental health is such a serious issue, and I'm not going to lie, I've not been immune to that. There have definitely been moments where the thought that this was it, that it was never going to happen again. So to have this feeling coming across the line, I think honestly, I've never cried coming from a win. It just came out of me. It's a really, really great feeling. I'm very, very grateful for it."

Anthony Hamilton, speaking to Sky Sports, echoed the emotional intensity of the victory. "How crazy was that? He was never going to give that up. You just have to watch the times; it was a tenth [of a second] here, a tenth there, it didn't matter what was happening. Lewis was in full control. There's no way with that current car and the tyres he had that he was going to allow that win to slip in front of the British public. And that's what drove him on.

"Lewis was second yesterday and he was disappointed with himself. He was like, 'I could have done better' after qualifying. So he goes home, refocuses, and comes back, and you know that he's calculated everything and he's waiting for the environment to change. When the environment changes, he's in his element.

"It's great for the team, it's great for the British crowd ... and it's great for motorsport."

Hamilton's comeback at Silverstone is a testament to his resilience and determination, underlining the immense physical and mental challenges that athletes face at the highest levels of competition. The victory serves as a reminder of why Hamilton remains one of the sport's most iconic figures.

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